Decaying Love
by Sungirl92
Summary: -Discontinued- Forsaken by his father abandoned by his mother, an early discovery of truth leads a spiteful child down a path of? YondKure Naruto centric.
1. Prologue

**Decaying Love**

**Disclaimer:** We don't own Naru-Chan, so sod off law suits.  
**Authors' Notes:  
UzumakiPhoenix: **Hello there. Well this is my second Yondaime fic, the reason I have written another is because my dear brother (cough cough) **Deamon Child**-**Nii-chan** challenged me to do so, and so we decided to make a joint fic, me being the writer, he being the idea person, vice versa on other chapters. I personally like this idea of a fic hateful, emotional, painful, distressful and mixed with 'Decaying love,' it all appeals to me, and though it is in the Yondaime section, it will soon be based solely around Kurenai and her son Naruto. Well, I shan't steal the spot light… now for the person who shall explain our twisted story, the demonic,  
**Deamon Child-Nii-chan:  
**Hello Everyone! Unfortunately I'm related to UzumakiPhoenix over there (stupid imouto-chans). So this fic is something I thought up while being annoyed by her, its all about Kurenai and Naruto, personally I am annoyed by the fact that there are quite a lot of, AnkoYondaime fics, but no KurenaiYondaime ones So in this one we decide to introduce…Kurenai! as Naruto's mother, but its not all what its cut out to be, Unlike most fics where she is portrayed as a nice, Kyuubi loving person, in this one she's a complete utter bitch (for all those who hate this idea blame my imouto-chan! Its all her fault! Please don't kill me! Please!) So…going on from there-  
**UzumakiPhoenix-imouto-chan:** Butting in now, how dare you call me stupid! _Hello_ who is the person that can't spell and needs his younger sister to write the stories, huh, huh? EXACTLY! And readers, I apologise for his gauche attitude, he is an annoying niisan, I mean I did think up the Kurenai thing, but hey everyone knows I am evil, so stop trying to get people to kill me Nii-chan  
**Deamon Child-Nii-chan:** Okay, so let's just introduce the story now, umm (turns to imouto-chan) what's the story called again? (imouto-chan hits Nii-chan around the head and butts into author's notes) 'Tis Decaying Love you idiot.  
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**Prologue**

The wind was crisp and cold, shivers ran up her spine as the harsh breeze ran up her skin, October was like that though, how could she complain, she always wished that her child be born on such a day, a day that was cold, but held an unspoken warmth. Perhaps it was just because of the small being growing inside that made her feel warm in the bitter cold, either way she couldn't help but smile, her hormones were in check for once. It reminded her of the still just before the storm, a chuckle escaped her lips, what storm, she wondered, except she knew the answer. She brushed the thought aside and brought another one closer, she loved autumn; she hated the other seasons, although winter could perhaps grow closer in her esteem, for it wasn't hot and sticky, but autumn always won the highest rank.

She was soon pulled out of the thoughts when she heard the door open and close, her ninja senses though chaotic, could never miss his presence, perhaps it was because his power was so immense that it radiated at all times, unless he wanted to hide it, or maybe, it was just love for him, either way she always knew.

As his footsteps grew closer the being in her womb grew restless, it was only when they came to a stop did the baby stop. When he paused behind her, she could instantly feel his scrutinising stare on her body, it caused a well-known uneasiness to squirm inside of her. He was her husband, he had seen her naked, he had seen her fight to her absolute best in the Chuunin exams, but his stare always made her nervy, she wasn't going to say it was because he had a gaze that penetrated her soul, no it was because he was pervert and she hated perverts. She berated herself inwardly, she knew he was no longer a pervert, he gave up his boyish antics when they married, in truth, she felt uneasy because he loved her and she was able to return it, a thing she never expected herself able to do.

Her yelp was muffled against the calloused hand placed softly upon her mouth, she closed her eyes and leaned back into the other's torso as his arm wrapped around her swollen belly, stroking it gently. She sighed as his fingers moved gently across her stomach; she frowned when she noticed the fingers weren't just moving across, but also higher, the frown turned into gritted teeth.

"Nani!" she screamed moving from his grip, and pointing an accusing finger at her grinning husband "PERVERT!"

"What?" he shrugged seemingly innocent, a stifled smile on his face "What did I do?"

"You know exactly what you did," she edged backwards as he edged forward, the grin still vivid on your face.

"Maybe I do," he shrugged chuckling, "Maybe I don't."

"Oh you do, I know you do. You know very well, and you're screwing with it."

"There's only one thing I want to screw," he leaned forward, their faces held the slightest gap, "And you know very well what that is."

"I told you," she scoffed, "I don't feel comfortable having… you know what while I'm pregnant."

He moved passed her face and to her ear, and softly whispered, "You know the baby can't hear us, even as loud as you scream my name, it's all the way down there," he stroked it putting what he meant into play, "We can do other things you know. I can settle."

She blushed darkly, her face no longer red but a dark shade of maroon, her eyes hidden in the murky hue, "I know for a fact you can't settle, and that's not the point, I still don't feel comfortable with the baby," she barely croaked, her back hit the wall and she couldn't edge any further away, she groaned at the smirk playing on his knowing face.

"I haven't got some in eight months, and boys to have needs."

"Stuff your needs, please, I don't feel comfortable," her face contorted as he kneeled down, his face level with her large belly, she looked at him questioningly, "What are you doing?"

He gently lifted the cloth of her maternity garb, just enough to expose the stomach's skin, he ran his finger over it, and then leaned in and kissed it softly, his lips lingering. She shuddered as a spark ran through them, as if the three of them were connecting in a weird and wonderful way, and it continued as his fingers stroked her hips, his lips advancing further south, he thought he was sure to get a solid reprimand. However, none came; he felt her body tense but thought nothing of it, her body was always tensing when she was around him, and he in turn did the same. This time though, she tensed for a different reason. He kissed her chest slowly, taking great pleasure in playing with her, and then moved up so that his lips were against her collar bone, he nuzzled his face against her supple skin, kissing and nipping at her neck whilst holding her whole body with his strong arms. He lifted his face from her and stared at her, his gaze never once wavering from her eyes, he leaned in and brushed his lips against her own, a kiss in formation. She mewled as their lips connected in a long kiss. He cupped her cheek with one hand while the other stroked her belly. When they released, he couldn't help but grin at her forlorn hooded eyes, she seemed to have been lost in his kiss, he couldn't complain though, so was he.

"Hey," he spoke softly as he traced his fingers over her lips, "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered, her eyes still shut to the world. He smiled contentedly at her face, he was about to lean over and savour the taste of her mouth once more, but stopped abruptly.

"Oi," he frowned as he felt a warm liquid run over his legs, he sighed, it was the third time that month, couldn't she keep her bladder in check, he mused, his eyebrows turned down in annoyance, "You know these are new trousers. The bathroom's upstairs, if that was the real reason you didn't want to do it you could have just told me."

"Huh?" she looked at him confused; she looked down and pushed him roughly away. Bewilderment took over; she looked at her trousers and saw a dark stain covering them, then looked up at him a frown still on her face.

"You damn Baka!" she screamed, "My water's broke."

He looked at her face confused and then back down at her belly, he whined, "But the doctor said it wasn't coming for another three-"

"Damn what she said to hell, my baby's coming and it's coming now," she yelled, her eyes angry and crazed, she felt something burst inside of her, she couldn't take it any longer, she keeled over and screamed in complete unrelenting pain. Sure, she had said she had wanted her child to be born in autumn, but she didn't want it to arrive at that very moment, but then again, things didn't always go as planned.

"Hold on," her husband moved forward, "Would you like me to change your trousers, I'm sure you don't want to go around looking like that."

He bit back his lip when he saw her menacing glare. He hadn't exactly prepared himself for the birth so early; he had hoped it wouldn't be coming for another three weeks, the doctor had said that the baby wasn't ready to come out, so he had naturally thought that he could prepare later on. He had ignored the constant prodding to baby proof the apartment, thinking he could do it a week before the birth was scheduled, and now the house wasn't baby proof, he had no idea what to do and he had a demon for a wife wanting to rip his testicles off. However, one small setback wasn't going to stop him from keeping control over the situation, no he was the strongest ninja in country, more so, the world, but as said before, situations didn't always go as planned. His senses kicked in, he grabbed his wife pulled her to the ground (making sure the baby was safe) he covered her with his body, (just in case something else would happen) and ducked down just before the ceiling was ripped clean off the building. A piece of glass ricocheted through the air, just barely missing his head, whilst taking a lock of blond hair with it.

He looked to the south of the rooms, however, there wasn't much left to call rooms. As his sight travelled to the origin of the sudden destruction, he noticed a large shadow looming over him and his wife; he ignored it for the moment and looked upon the weapon. Could you call it a weapon? He grimaced painfully; it was a weapon, but a weapon of a living nature. He looked above, and noted that the shadow cast was of the weapon too, a long thick darkness obscured the whole building. He came to an unsolicited conclusion, a large crimson tail such as this one, could only belong to one animal, to one beast, to one demon.

He followed the tail to its derivation, only to meet his unwanted conviction, to meet the colossal, mythical demon of all demons, one whose name was spoken with fear throughout all of the Shinobi nations. Its ruby red slit eyes were an abyss of cool pure hatred, eyes that were filled with so much bloodlust, that it filled the air with the pungent taste and choked any living being in a close radius. Its glance was alone enough to strike fear in a human's heart, possibly even a demon's, for no demon could rival this one, no demon had the spine. The most powerful Shinobi shivered as his eyes roamed the mighty being, his shock-stricken gaze lingering on the sinister features adorning the demon fox's face. The hair on its back rose up in spikes, like a cat when roused forcefully, the scarlet painted darkly over the silky vibrant coat, it would be envied and praised if it were not soaked in endless blood and death. However, the fur was not the only feature, which reeked of blood; it dripped incessantly from the razor-sharp fangs, fangs that curled up in a sinister bloodthirsty smirk. However, the beast took no notice at him personally, the large eyes only gave the impression that it was eye contact, the beast was only taking delight in the fallen building, and it was only a moment later that it discarded the father to be from its mind.

He turned back and was nearly startled to meet again with crimson blood coloured eyes, but contained himself when he realised it was only his wife, his wife who was in labour at that moment.

"If you don't get me to the hospital now," she hissed sinisterly, "That demon will be the least of your worries."

He nodded his head only half comprehending what was happening. The scattered plaster fell about him and his wife freely, reminding him that each second he wasted; he was threatening his country and his wife to a doomed prolonged existence and death. He got up slowly, rage beating in his heart, a demon had entered his village without warning, without any sign that it had ever passed through the woods surrounding the village. He moved into a crouched position and lifted his wife into his lap, splaying her arms around his neck he stood up and pulled her along bridal style. She yelped, feeling the pain smash inside of her womb, and nausea returned just a little bit from her elevated body.

"Make sure," she said, her voice quiet, tired and broken up, "you don't hurt the baby."

"Don't worry," he whispered softly, a small smile on her face, "I'll get you there in a yellow flash. Now hold on to my neck tightly, I'm gonna let go of your waist, just hold on, I need to do some seals."

She did as informed and held on to his neck very tightly, burying her head in the crook of his neck. He lifted his hand from around her waist and put it out in front of him, he only needed one hand for a one handed seal.

'Nezumi, Tori, Uma, Saru, Nezumi, Inu, Uma, Saru…' he went through a range of other complicated and advanced hand seals, in a flash of lightning, his lips only able to mime to keep up with his sequencing. Then as the last seal was made, he mouthed his personal Jutsu, he wrapped his arm back around his wife, and ran, but you cannot really call it running it was more like flying, but in a yellow flash.  
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"Kakashi's!" a voice shouted from the ends of the battlefield, "KAKASHI!"

A young man with ironically grey hair jumped from the top of a cliff, which was about to be smashed by one of the nine great tails of the demon, to the ground, he rolled as he made contact so he wouldn't break any bones.

"You say something Gai." he ran up to his comrade, who was hidden behind a bush, though he was speaking to him, his eye couldn't help but fix on the beast before him, a beast so large that it emitted a darkness so great it covered the south of Konoha.

"Oh, my hip rival, you dazzle me with your hip-ness! Where is Yondaime-sama?" Gai replied. All shinobi were trained to keep their voice under check, to make sure it showed no sign of fear, but as said before, all Shinobi fell in plain terror around it, around the beast, and Gai was no different, his voice quaked in fear, instead of his usual loud boisterous self.

"I don't know," Kakashi replied; his voice filled with aggravation, though he was afraid he couldn't help but feel let down by his sensei, the sensei who had always promised to protect his country no matter what happened, and it made him somewhat disappointed and ashamed. His fear was nothing compared to his anger, his hate, the people around him were dying, people he knew as comrades, ANBU students…friends were dying, and the one person who was supposed to be there, among all, wasn't anywhere to be seen. Kakashi balled his fists; every ninja in the country had tried summoning, tried fighting, hand-to-hand combat, ninjutsu, and consequently they had all been wiped out. Most of the people that were left on the battle grounds were the mutilated and wounded, the ones that were either dead or barely alive, only few ninjas stood well, and they were the last line, they may have been the best but that wouldn't matter.

"His flames of youth better bring him to us soon!" Gai shouted youthfully over the roaring, "Our diversions are weakening and the south, east, and west defence have been torn down. Nearly everyone there has lost the fiery passion that comes with youth!"

"I know that," Kakashi growled, his anger peaked, "Gai, where's Rin?"

"I don't know," he looked around, "Her youth doesn't seem to have deceased, they would have found her and given one of us note, her soul does not seem to be wounded or else we would have seen her on the battlefield, someone would have and given us note."

Kakashi gulped down, perspiration was pouring down his face like blood from an open wound, he would have preferred blood and cuts, deeper than the ones he already had, so that it could distract him from the stomach-churning feeling he was experiencing, "Did it eat her?"

Gai looked at him, and for the first time since Kakashi had entered the scene, did they both make eye contact, his eyes were questioning and shocked,

"She's a youthful medic my eternal rival, she wouldn't have been close enough, only offence so far have been recorded as…," he looked back at the demon unable to look at his rival's eyes, "unfavourably eaten. She has not expired from our life. In the aspects of the noble truth she's not here, she never did come. I didn't want to tell you, but listen… there were a number detestable, lowly ninjas (not worth being called the great youthful name), ten, fifteen maybe twenty, when they saw the demon they…they fled ungraciously; they ran away from the village because of their own rotten cowardice. Of the twenty, Rin was, unmistakably, and regrettably one of them… I'm greatly sorry."

Hatake ignored the feelings inside of him, he ignored his broken heart and let his external shell stay hard and solid, not letting his emotions surface and he had never felt so hollow in his life. "Don't be," he gritted his teeth angrily, "Gai, appreciate it, but she's not a friend anymore… she's trash, she ran away from her mission, and it wasn't even to help her friend, she's lower than trash, she's lower than it all.

"You shouldn't be so harsh, it isn't of the flaming youth" Gai said, "you can't blame her, she's tried to save lives and has had to see a lot of people leave our plane of love and burning youth, from her understanding perspective-"

"I've killed a lot of people," Kakashi replied heatedly, "I'm still here fighting that."

"My rival-"

"Did you say something?" Kakashi replied indolently. He stood up from his crouched position, the both of them did. Gai looked at him knowingly, fear plastered on his face, he knew his Taijutsu wasn't going to be able to get him out of this one, he was going to have to leave it up to the great copy-cat Kakashi this time. He nodded his head at Kakashi, who just replied with a shrug, and jumped deep within the forest, a dark burden weighing down on his shoulders, even if he knew it could work, he questioned his solemnity. The Kyuubi's tails were swinging around everywhere.

Kakashi stood up straight again; he pulled the off mask covering his face and dropped it to the ground; he grabbed the sword by its hilt, pulled it from his sheath and dropped it to the ground. He shifted the forehead protector up from his left eye so that the both of them were shown stark in the open. However, one wasn't of the normal criterion, they were different from each other. The left eye was an entirely different type, contrasting with his individual grey one. It was of the blood colour, a bright scarlet hue, the only strange thing about it was its pupil, unlike other eyes it was adorned with three unique symbols, as Kakashi pumped chakra into it the symbols began to encircle it rapidly. The Sharingan shone proudly, and the battle scar running horizontally down it seemed to give it an even worthier look.

Kakashi put his palms together and ran through a sequence of hand seals, at the same time pumping more and more chakra into his hands, some needing to accumulate to his feet as well, just to insure extra speed. Sweat didn't usually pour down his face when he used his signature jutsu, in fact he was unusually calm, but when he looked around him, when he looked at the demon swinging his tails leisurely around the perimeter, he couldn't help but dread, and doubt himself. A tail swung close by him, and he was forced to jump back to avoid the hit, and even that was just by a hairline; however, the ground around him did not have that luxury.

Lightning struck around the vicinity, not once hitting the same place, it destroyed the ground as did the demon, many ninjas were compelled to leave their stations, the lightning was growing strangely dangerous, some believed it to be, due to the demon; and the young Kakashi's body cringed slightly every time it touched the floor. He tried to ignore the increasing distraction so that he could continue with his work; he moved his arms so that one was supporting the other, one last thought went through Kakashi's head and then his jutsu started, blue lighting formed around his hand, sparking up, Kakashi was holding lightning. It illuminated his upper torso and his face, and as it did an extraordinary sound moved through the air, a light sort of sound… it seemed as if a thousand birds were chirping.

He pulled his arm backwards, as far as it could reach. Then he shifted his body into a running position, he looked up and straight ahead of him. He could feel the chakra coursing liberally around his body, firing it up with virtuous power, he was so powerful, and yet he still hadn't reached his peak.

Then, when his opportunity had arrived, he jolted off, running as fast as he could, perhaps even faster than the Yondaime himself at his normal pace. The risen chakra levels had instantly alerted the Kyuubi, who was trying to break the passage Kakashi was trying to make, but Kakashi was too fast and he was able to dodge every tail that moved brutally passed him. As he ran, only seconds away from the beast, strong feelings broke out inside of him, he yearned for the demon to feel pain, and he needed to be the person do inflict it; a slice in the leg, tail, anything would set his heart to ease, just slightly.

He was close enough now; he extracted his arm behind him and, and thrust it as severely as he could, the sound of his jutsu reverberating in his ears. Then he took a course of action he personally thought impossible for himself, he pumped all of his chakra in his jutsu, in his arm, there was no longer any chakra in the rest of his body… just his arm.

"CHIDORI!"

Lightning Struck, it never reached the ground,

A tail swung, a quarter of it sliced off and feel to the ground beside Kakashi, blood escaped without restraint.

The Kyuubi roared in ire.

Kakashi had achieved his wish.

Not far from Kakashi, the man in green clad watched on, his eyes not once wavering from its fixation, his mouth agape. It was a good thing he didn't use his brain much, for it had completely shut down due to shock, and luckily his body acted on impulse, and with as much speed as he could muster, he jumped onto the battlefield, grabbed his fatigued, rightly named rival, and jumped back into the wood, making a hasty retreat to the hospital. The other ninjas surrounding, seeing all, ran in and served as distractions for the Kyuubi's new detested foe.

That day the Yondaime was not the first who incurred the demon's enmity; it was Hatake Kakashi, the proud creator of the Raikiri.  
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The father to be flinched every moment his wife's screams tore through the walls, it wasn't merely for the fact that she was in pain that stuck in his heart, no, it was because each time she did, her pain was put forth and amplified a thousand times in his head. Recently though, he was being tormented by further screams, and his wife's screams were slowly drowned out by the more intense and terrified screams coming from his village, and unfortunately, their pain was far greater, for his wife knew it would end, for them it wouldn't.

He imagined the Kitsune demon ripping his people apart, then eating them, the blood spilling across his teeth and sneering face, how the demon would slash at the humans, insuring they would die slowly and agonisingly, and then his imagination turned for the worst, and he saw his country falling under the demons wrath. He saw all of this in his mind, his heart heavy, and his conscience heavier. He criticised his judgement deeply, sorrow visible on his face, he was supposed to be there, fighting with his country, fighting for them, but his new found fatherly instincts wouldn't tolerate his absence; he had always said the country would come first… but now he doubted himself. He was only human. He balled his hands tightly, the nails on his fingers digging deep, blood trickled through his fist and down to the ground, and for a moment… a small moment, his pain diverged.

She screamed again, his eyes widened and he knew where he belonged, and suddenly emotion drained from his body. Over the passed few minutes, he had been distinguishing the screams, and realised that the people outside were in more pain, they needed him more. He stood up and walked towards his wife's room, as he grew closer, the moans grew louder and fiercer; even though somewhere deep within him he twitched every time she screamed, the surface was colder. He opened the door, resolute on his decision; he was going to help his country, whether his wife or child needed him.

"I'm going to have to go," he said calmly in the doorway, his blue eyes unable to meet her ruby ones, "I need to help them, I'll be back as soon as I can. No promises."

"You," the wife said before screaming in agony, "You can't go," she screamed again, his heart wrenched, but he stood his ground, "We need you."

"You've been in labour for a long time…I've stayed as long as I could, I need to go now," he replied monotonously. He wondered what his wife had done to deserve a cruel husband like him.

"Sir," his direction turned to the nurse attending, "could you at least be more comforting, she is in a very delicate situation," she pleases, he couldn't help but look back colder.

Walking around the bed, he kissed his wife tenderly on the forehead, and then went towards the exit, the battlefield, and probably his-

"Get your tight little Blondaime, ass back in here. Right now!" the labouring woman yelled, "I mean it."

"Ku-"

"Yondaime-sama!" a young man in green and unbelievably hairy eyebrows shouted as he strode up, and he held another young man, with unbelievably grey hair, "My fiery passion has indeed brought me to you, and in the nick of time, that is."

"Gai," the Yondaime said somewhat surprised, noticing his student on his shoulder he started to worry, "What's wrong with Kakashi?"

"Ah," Gai put his thumbs up and flashed his '"number one smile"', "I am glad you asked that Yondaime-sama. Kakashi here, for once, burned with his fiery youth and fought with his heart and soul, such emotion in his body that it was nearly as passionate and full of zeal as myself-"

"Yes Gai, but what happened?"

"Ah yes, well my eternal rival saw how our defences had weakened and charged with his youthful spirit, into the battle field, the formidable Chidori blazing with a fiery passion in the palm of his hand. Chakra was leaking freely around his body, of course, it was due to his newly awakened fiery zeal, and it was miraculous. As I watched I could experience his hatred towards the bloodthirsty malevolent Kitsune beast, it seemed fierier than even, I. (Do not tell him I said that) Anyway as his youth was cornering the demon in a bad position, I observed very vigilantly (as I am), that the lightning was striking precariously close to him. I attempted to shout out, I yelled out with the depths of my passion and zeal, nobly trying to save him from his ostensible electrocution, but my voice failed to reach his ears. His gallant nature and perceptible youth had blocked him off from all of us, the amazing site was-"

"Gai," Yondaime strained his voice insufferably, "get to the chase."

"My deepest and sincerest apology, I shall run sixty laps around Konoha's outer walls, on my knees. Yes anyway, the lightning was reaching closer, but the most bizarre thing occurred, my noble rival's leaking chakra, went straight to his hand, none of his blazing power resided anywhere else, just his hand. Then the lightning struck exactly where Kakashi was, my pulse sped up, and I thought he was doomed before, but then an even more peculiar thing happened, the Chidori, it turned white like his chakra…"

Gai continued to tell the story of the battle, his words always revisiting the fiery passions of youth, and his hands always forming some sort of mad, insane dance he took for re-enacting a scene, this forced the Yondaime to stop him and pull him back on track, his rage rising and falling like a wave. When Gai was coming to the end of his report, Yondaime couldn't help but feel disheartened, he should have gone to the battle earlier, it seemed that everything was tumbling for the worst, the defences were gone, more than half of the ANBU platoons were destroyed, and the medics were being forced into offence. 'My people must really be peeved with me.'

"…Kakashi seems to have been the only one to wound the demon," Gai paused for a moment, catching his breath and regrouping himself, but then a notion hit him, "Yondaime-sama, I need to tell you something important, for I doubt you'll get a chance to hear it, Kakashi being unconscious and you…" Gai's brazen personality pacified and the volume of his voice depleted, his thoughts went to the Hokages before, who had died saving the country, and this one needed to know now before the chance was lost. Gai's head kept low as he recounted Rin's story, "…sumimasen, for your loss sir, I'm sure she meant no harm."

The Yondaime grunted in response, his sadness carving a deep gorge in his soul, the recounts of the day were worsening as each moment passed, and his only solace was his wife, who wasn't in the best position to comfort. His thoughts immediately travelled to happier moments in his life, all occupied by Rin of course, seeing as she was the one who was causing her pain, more pain than he had imagined possible. She was always a girl willing to help people, she hated pain, she couldn't stand it, it was a surprise that she even made it through her medic exams with her fear, but in her heart she was very kind. In their team, she had always been negotiator, the one who never took a side (even though she knew who was right, and that was always Kakashi) but she had brain enough to stop things before it got out of hand. He had seen the change in her character when Obito had died, nevertheless he trusted her and held her in high esteem, thinking she would make the right decision, but now she was in his lowest, and in a Hokage's opinion, that wasn't good.

"Gomennasai Yondaime-sama, but I must go; I need to get Kakashi to a room before he gets up. His fiery obstinate personality, will lead him to a bitter end. Sometimes his passion and cool hip-ness scares me beyond words, it may exceed mine one day, though I doubt it very much. Good luck in the battle, I shall join you again as soon as I can, not even hell can stop my passion and youth from reaching you" Gai bowed his head low in respect, then after shifting Kakashi slightly, he walked off.

"Thank you Gai," the Yondaime shouted before the fourteen year old turned the corner.

'Shit what should I do,' he thought, his body aching to smash something, preferably the damn bastard Kyuubi.

"I can see the head," a voice shouted in glee.

He was only a meter away from his wife's room, so her screams were audible, and since his distress had increased, his decision-forgotten, and he dashed back to his wife's side, the news of his child was lifting his hopes again, and his guilt. He knelt down beside her sweaty head and stroked it softly, trying to put as much affection as possible, in the one simple gesture, and luckily, as his hand moved through her jet black tresses, his anguish calmed somewhat.

Her face was puffy and red as she attempted to breathe properly, the sharp breaths illustrating her pain further, perspiration trickled down her face as she strained to push as hard as she could. Noticing this all, he tilted her chin slightly so that he could make eye contact, to show that he cared and was there for her and the baby, but to no avail, they were scrunched up tightly as she groaned and pushed.

While he watched on helplessly, his mind began forming a plan, a plan which would most probably make her hate him, and of course, his child too. He pitied the baby more than he, for he would be gone and wouldn't have to suffer the continuous prejudice persecutions, and he loved his child, so when he questioned his judgement, it was understandable. His wife on the other hand was a totally different matter, how he would convince her, tell her she had to let go of one of the only two things she loved, was just too hard to even think about, he knew her personality, and stubbornness ran deep in her veins. He feared his wife's reaction. In any case, though, he personally didn't want to do it, he found the idea cruel and unjust, especially to a newly born innocent child, the only reason for it all, was that he couldn't pick one life over millions, the stakes were too high. He created the jutsu for pure recognition, the fact that he was able to create such a jutsu was what he wanted acknowledgement for, not that he used it, and he never wanted to do such a thing, especially to another. Still, he knew what the Kyuubi was capable of, the most powerful of the tailed demons, the most feared, and the most malicious, he had no choice, and he had to save them. Long ago, he had said he was willing to die for his country; he wasn't going to turn out a hypocrite now.

She on the other hand, the one who was oblivious to all, lay down, her baby… their baby entering the world from her womb, the miracle of life was forming in the room because of her, but her pain wasn't letting her see how incredible it all was, only heated anger raged inside of her. Her husband, who she thought had abandoned her, sat next to her, and he was the only thing in the room keeping her sane, simply by stroking her head, and soothing her pain. She let out one last bloodcurdling scream, before her bodily functions chose to give up for a little while.

A few seconds later, when she decided that it was okay, she cracked open one of her eyes, and met with his, as she did, warmth spread throughout her whole body. The constant throbbing in her lower body had ceased and all she could feel was a tender hand stroking her face, and to add to her bliss, a baby cried healthily, and she was able to smile.  
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"C-can I hold him," he stuttered, his whole mind set on the little boy in the nurse's arm. What did he feel? He couldn't remember the last time he felt so accomplished, happy, proud and grateful at the same time, and of course love, it were understood, the sensation seemed to lift him up. He chuckled to himself, if he had known that he would feel this way, he would have pressured his wife to marry him sooner, he even stood a little straighter as he looked his son. 'My son.'

"Of course you can Hokage-sama," the nurse walked over to him.

He didn't immediately rush to hold the baby, instead he gazed at it and saw a likeliness of him in the little one, the big cerulean eyes, the blonde spiky hair, the soft button nose, and cheeky face, even his cheeks were untainted, not a mark on them. The cheeks, which would stain in a matter of minutes. The nurse lifted the baby up so that the father could take him, once he had found his son in his arms, he couldn't help but crack a healthy grin. He hugged the child close to him and kissed his supple cheeks tenderly. He made funny faces, and smiled gladly at him, the little baby giggling responsively, lightening the father's heart more so. He held him tighter without knowing, remorse was still there, and as he held him, his child reminded him of what he had to do, to gain something you must lose, he had never understood it until now, for now he was put in a sacrificial position, and it didn't feel at all...whole. He shook his head inwardly; he had to make these memories stick.

"Who's your daddy," he said in funny voice, "I'm your daddy," he ogled the child strangely.

"How many times have I heard that before?" a sardonic voice chirped from behind him, "can I please hold him if you're finished."

"No he's mine; get your own baby," he teased possessively, "nyeh."

"Blondie," her eyes narrowed, "I just spent two hours pushing him out of me… and this all happened due to your 'needs.' So give 'im!"

"Fine fine," and then aside, "Your mother has a fiery temper, never get on the wrong side of her."

He passed the baby (reluctantly) over to his wife. He smiled as he saw her eyes light up, as she only did it rarely, Christmas had come early for her this year.

Love beat solidly through her heart, the last time she remembered feeling like that, was when he had proclaimed his love to her, two years ago, it was like falling in love all over again, this time with her newborn son. She felt slightly jealous though, her son had only received the father's hereditary features, he didn't resemble her one bit, but she shrugged it off, and pushed it to the back of her mind. Instead, she took pleasure in basking in awe of her child, hugging and kissing him, cradling him in her arms, holding him tightly never wanting to let him go, she was now a mother, there was no greater pleasure in life than that. The little boy giggled softly, his mouth wide open.

"He giggles just like you," the dad said softly.

"I don't giggle," she replied dryly, her fingers occupied with the child, he had a surprisingly strong grip for a newborn infant.

"Yes you do," he countered slyly.

"When?" she stared up at him defiantly, her eyes disbelieving.

He bent his lips towards her ears and whispered something softly, a small smirk playing on his face, when he lifted his head back up, her face had turned a dark beet red, and her lips were pursed tightly. She was too shocked to retort, and inside she was seething like anything, he had… for the first time beaten her in a battle tongues. The baby, as though psychically knowing what they were talking about, giggled expressively.

"Ma'am," the attending nurse asked respectfully, "Sir, do you mind if I take the child in the other room for some checkups?"

"Could we have some-?"

"That's fine," he said firmly, cutting off his wife with tact, he noticed his window of opportunity, and though he knew what he was about to do was hard, and filled him with guilt, he had no other choice.

Before the mother had time to respond, the baby had been whisked away by the nurse, and she was left gawking. She turned back to her husband and noticed the sober look on his face, a look that he only got when he was going to tell her something very grave. She never liked that look.

"We need to talk," he said steadily, pausing while his wife sat up straight, "you've noticed the Kyuubi attacking."

"Yes," she replied, her voice unsteady, "I understand that you need to go there, but please, don't get hurt," she had absolute faith that he would be able to beat it, but still, she knew of what could happen, and she too feared the Kyuubi, no she was terrified of it, "You have one more person to look out for." She leaned over and kissed him gently on the forehead, when she looked at his face again, she was shocked to see; his eyes shut tightly, his brow furrowed, and tears slipping through the cracks.

He exhaled sharply, "that's not what I meant Hun… We can't kill it. I just spoke to-"

"'Course you can," she plastered a tight smile on her face, "You're Hokage, the strongest in the village, I have never even seen you cry. Don't even try it with me," she fake laughed.

"Stop it," he snapped angrily, "You know it's not like that, stop pretending, this is reality, and you need to come to terms with it. -Sigh- I'm sorry, its just that…I spoke with Gai, things are serious, and it's definitely not easy, in fact, it's the hardest battle for all those out there, and personally I don't think I can kill it. However, I do think there is a way to stop it," he rested, and recollected his thought whilst waiting for it to sink in.

She stared blankly at her husband, no sign of recognition on her face, after a few seconds her eyes opened agape, her bottom lip began to quiver, and her hands shook with sadness. For some reason, in her life… realising things always ended up badly. She closed her eyes for a second, and breathed in slowly.

"You told me you would never use that jutsu," she said discordantly, "You promised me when you made it…you swore you would never use it."

"And I don't want to, but if it means saving the country-"

"Is this compensation," she snapped bitterly, tears falling freely down her gritted teeth.

He looked at her eyes for the first time since the little boy had gone, surprise written all over his face, "What?"

"You stayed here with me for all those hours the Kyuubi was there, destroying things. So now, to make up for it all, you're going to kill yourself," she spat.

"No!" he shouted back boldly, "that is not what I'm going to do. If there was any other way, I would take that route in a heartbeat, but there isn't."

"Don't go," she whispered, "don't leave us."

'She's making it harder for me,' "That's not all,-sigh- Hun, I can't seal it in myself, you know how the Kyuubi is, it'll just break out of hell and be even stronger than before. I need to do it on a younger body, a body that'll grow with the demon inside it, to get used to it and become immune to its power."

"A babe!" she shouted angrily, it was one thing to kill yourself, another thing to completely fuck up your son's life, "Don't you dare! Don't you dare say it, don't even think about it, I will not let you ruin our son's life," Tears were falling down both of their eyes, and each one was experiencing conflicting emotions, he guilt, nobility, anger, hate, love, and she, anger, love, loss, sorrow, pain. How were they to cope? "Why can't you try and fight it? You haven't tried yet."

"Kakashi's best move, signature unique jutsu…only cut off a tail, and now he is lying unconscious in the hospital wing. We can't defeat it… please don't hate me for this," moved to kiss her, but was met by a cold damp cheek. She closed her eyes tightly and then opened them again, she repeated this a few times, each time wanting to wake up from the nightmare.

"It took you… four years…" she whispered, every word wrenching at his heart, "four years to even get a date with me, two years to marry me, to convince me… a year more to marry you, and now you're going to leave only after a year."

"I don't want to leave you, I love you. You don't understand though, I can't choose millions over one, over us. He'll be a strong kid, and with you backing him up… he'll be amazing. Love him… love him more than you love anyone else, more than me."

"I don't think that's possible," she sobbed compassionately, sad for her lover, "though you may not know it, seeing as…I don't say it much, but I love you, _so much, _so _very _much. I don't think it can be more."

"Try, for me, please. I mean he'll be yours, ours. If he's the both of us, that makes him better than me," tears fell from his eyes too, he leaned forward again, afraid that she would brush him off again, but she didn't, she closed her eyes and kissed him back, attempting to put all of his affection in it, "I love you, and I'm sorry."

He got up and walked very slowly to the door, not wanting to leave the woman he had loved since he was twelve years old, not wanting to leave the life he had worked so hard to create.

"Wait," she shouted after him, he turned around, afraid she would convince him to say, but she didn't, "What should I name him?"

"Kazama Jin," he smiled at her. He refused to say goodbye, or farewell, because that meant he wouldn't see her again. Saying nothing always secured another time… at least in your mind. She nodded her head in agreement, and cracked one more smile, her last real one.

"I'll miss you Kazama Arashi."

"I'll miss you too, Kazama Kurenai."

Then… that was the time, he walked out to his death.  
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She cringed as the large white light shone through her window, her face stained with tears, and her hospital gown, decorated with wet salty patches. Her hands shaking, her head light. Then the aftermath came, she began to cry harder, her head throbbed, her heart ached, and her throat sore. She could hear the baby crying loudly in the other room, it was amazing how his voice could carry, and she could tell he would make a good leader, just like his father. She ran those thoughts in her mind repeatedly, at every attempt trying to attune it to her liking, to make it seem more familiar, to change it so that it comforted her like she though… her son being just like his father. Yet, every time she even thought of her son, anger and rage yanked at her heart, no comfort coming from the face that would remind her so much of her lover. To hate someone… to despise them with all of your being is an amazing thing, but the Kyuubi had achieved just that, the hate of everyone in Konoha, and when the Yondaime had transferred it into his son, he would also have all of the hate directed at him, and Kurenai knew that. She didn't want to believe it, but she was slowly doing so, did she hate her child? Someone she carried in her womb for nine months, could she hate them? Could she hate the one she promised to love? As she thought over it, Kurenai began to think just that. She hated her child, that could be the only explanation for her weird current feelings, but there was another explanation, but her subconscious refused to look at it.

She pressed the nurse button laying on her lap, she cleaned her mind of all emotion, her face blank and plain. A nurse walked into the room, the previously attending nurse, carrying the little blonde baby in her arms.

"Yes ma'am," she said cradling the infant in her arms, "Are you okay?"

"I'm just fine," Kurenai replied monotonously, "leave the baby in the cradle, and could you go and get me the name changing form, my birth certificate… and a care order form."

The nurse stopped tucking the child in and gaped at Kurenai, shock visible on her face, she straightened up and stood her ground, frozen.

"W-why?" she asked.

"Could you please just get the forms for me please."

The nurse wanted to argue with her, but the blank, dejected pale face, warned her off it, and she walked out and got the papers for reluctantly, Kurenai's pale face haunting her as she came back. She laid the papers down on the woman's lap.

"Are you sure you want to do this…you know he'll be taunted to say the least, you can't leave him, you're all he has in the world."

"You can go now," Kurenai replied. The nurse walked out of the room, and nearly let out a yelp, but it was muffled by the gloved hand of a wet masked grey haired boy, he had been crying it was obvious. He pressed her against the wall beside the room, and peeped in with his one eye, watching every move. He looked back at the nurse, who looked pitying back to him.

"Take care of him," he whispered roughly, the nurse looked back at him confused, "Look after him, make sure he has a nice home, be his carer, it won't make up for a mother but you have to. I'll help you, but indirectly. Please Yuri, one more favour." she nodded back at him, and hugged him gently, letting him cry into her shoulder, it was the one day he couldn't help it.

Kurenai looked down at the papers. On the paper she wrote down as follows:

'_Name Change Form'_  
_First and second name: **Kazama Kurenai**  
New Name: **Yuuhi Kurenai**  
Age and D.O.B:** 21...**_

'_Care Order Form'  
Parents: Mother: **Kazama Kurenai**  
Father: **Kazama Arashi (Deceased)**  
Child's Name:**…** _

Kurenai Paused at this, she was going to write what Arashi had said, but decided not to, the demon didn't deserve the Yondaime's name, instead she wrote her dead grandmother's maiden name, and the first thing that came into her mind. The pen shaking in her hand as she wrote, she underlined it angrily.

_Child's Name: **Uzumaki Naruto**__**  
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	2. Chapter 1

**Decaying Love**

**Chapter 1: Lifestyles of the Cursed and Detested**

'Another day, another meal for the loudmouth,' Imai Yuri thought as she picked up the heavy groceries from the counter, a soft grunt falling gracelessly from her lips as she did so. She regretted not bringing a coat, her eyes rolling and her mouth groaning as she watched the rain beating down on the street, and she flinched when the frozen chill ran undesirably through her. She didn't quite like the month, and the only reason she didn't cursed it every second of the day was only because one good thing had come from it twelve years ago, and it was the very day which brought her beloved little charge.

As she walked along the streets, her thoughts wandered to him, happiness filling all, but one. She traced the memories chronologically, beginning with the most sorrowful recollection was always the best way to go, for she knew she couldn't beat that painful day exactly twelve years ago, when her little charge was cursed, and abandoned by his parents. She shook the feeling off immediately and changed her thought pattern, perhaps remembering the unhappiest was something that should be left alone. Instead, Yuri was able to remember his cheeky, smiling face, and his big blue eyes, and his mop of blonde hair that reminded her of a hero.

A gloved hand muffled Yuri's yelp, and the other quickly caught all of the bags before they collided with the floor, then the hand pulled her back into the shadows of the alleyway. In Yuri's mind, all she could think was 'When the hell is this Baka going to start meeting me in a more civilised way?'

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He sat with his head resting in his folded arms, large cerulean eyes drooping precariously low, his mind falling closer to a deep comfortable slumber. That is, until, a twenty-five year old Chuunin decided to get 'unnecessarily' angry with him for ignoring the important lecture on transformation jutsus. Though Naruto had noticed his teachers presence well before he let on, he decided to toy with him some more, it wasn't like he was learning anything new anyway, henge was easy, and so he let out a deep sigh, frustrating his teacher more so.

"Uzumaki!" Iruka shouted, bearing his fist down on the desk, a loud cracking sound resounding in the ninjas' ears. Naruto looked up at his teacher, a bland and bored expression lying languidly on his face, but inwardly he was smirking a great big smirk, it was the forth desk his teacher had broke that week, and it was only Wednesday. Naruto was trying for five in three days, but it was his birthday in two days, so he was trying to be nice. Plus, if Yuri got wind of it, she'd kill him… again.

"Yes Iruka-sensei," Naruto masked his laughter with a yawn.

"This is the last time you're going to sleep in my class," Iruka yelled angrily in the blonde's face, "detention after school."

"What?" Naruto replied drawly, "Oh, I can't, not today. Busy you see, got things to do, people to see, places to go to."

Iruka was ready to punch the smug look right off the students face, but refrained, breathing in and out slowly, he leaned up to Naruto's face, and smiled sinisterly, "oh you'll have places to go alright," he stood up and walked back to his desk, shuffled some papers, and then sat back down, "After school, you'll be coming with me to clean off the Hokage monuments, that _somebody,_ though we don't know who, vandalised with graffiti."

Naruto's ears perked up, and he sat erect, a slight lax killer's intent emitting from his body, his shoulders tense, his eyes narrowed. Then a notion popped into his head and he smiled, "Fine." 'YAY I GET RAMEN. Iruka-sensei always treats me to ramen.' He did a funny little celebration dance in his head.

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"I spoke to Hokage-sama," the grey haired Jounin said, pulling the orange little book out of his breast pocket, "He told me that my group's alignment will definitely consist of Sasuke," he sighed loudly, "but he won't let me have Naruto."

Yuri frowned and leaned up against the alleyway wall, "Why not?"

"Its because he thinks I've been teaching him too much already, and I've become like a brotherly figure, and because of that, I'll be inclined to give him more attention."

"Bullshit," Yuri replied and gave out an unladylike snort, "You know as well as I do that the old man's meddling somehow. The promotion to Gennin teams is a great chance for him to put Naruto on that bitch's team."

"Yuri," Kakashi warned angrily, "don't even bring her up. Un, I thought that he would do that too, but I doubt Sandaime-sama would be cruel enough to do that."

"Wouldn't put it passed him," she shrugged, "he's crafty, whether you like it or not, if he's not on your team, he'll be on hers. I'm worried, I don't want her treating him like shit, and I know she will, if she was willing to leave him, to leave her child, then she's willing to make his life difficult."

Kakashi let Yuri's words process in his mind, knowing that if the Sandaime was going to put Naruto on Kurenai's team, she wouldn't treat him like her other students, she'd probably be willing to go as far as failing the whole team just so that she wouldn't have to endure him. For the passed twelve years, Kakashi had been doing everything he could to keep Naruto from the truth, the truth which involved a hateful mother who deserted her own blood, her own infant child. He made sure that they never crossed paths, always lurking in the shadows, ready to divert both of their attentions; he made sure that when the classes were picked, Naruto didn't have her as a teacher, he even went as far as cloaking Naruto with genjustu, just so she wouldn't notice. Still Naruto's life wasn't as easy as he perceived. Yuri had tried to make up for being a mother, cooking and being there when he needed her most, and Kakashi had tried his best to teach the child techniques to protect himself, from assassins and such, also acting like a big brother (and giving him the 'talks') but the absence of parents just couldn't be filled.

He tensed when Yuri pressed his shoulder, her normal goodbye, and he felt cold when she left, as he always did. Then he took to the shadows, knowing that five minutes ago, he was supposed to be at the meeting with his 'little brother', he decided, thirty minutes was okay for the day, he had to visit the memorial stone first, and Gai was probably waiting for him, his new rookie team was supposed to be amazing.

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Meanwhile down at the monument, Naruto was finding it very hard to scrub off all of his misdeeds with one toothbrush, when Iruka said that today it was going to be a bit more difficult, Naruto didn't take him seriously, and foolishly knocked the Chuunin on the ass just for a laugh. He was on the fourth's face now, knowing that for some reason he had gone easier on this carving than the rest, and put less graffiti on it, he had no idea why, but when he was painting it, he felt weak in the depths of his stomach. As he moved across the carving, he began scrubbing harder and with a little more passion, a little more hate, and at some point subconsciously he put a little bit of chakra through his hands, powering it more dust and grime fell about him quickly as he cleaned every spot of the Yondaime's monument. Sweat fell about his face with ease, and even his goggles misted over, pieces of the brush chipped off due to the roughness, Naruto was inflicting upon it, and at some point, his anger got the best of him and he chipped of part of the stone.

"Naruto!" Iruka shouted grabbing the child and pulling him back to another Hokage. His eyes widened as he felt the rage boiling inside of the trembling young boy, "What's wrong?"

Naruto looked back up at his teacher, his eyes flaming, his heart pounding, his face drenched with sweat. He said nothing, his action did the talking for him, he wrenched his arm violently away from his teacher, the fixed glare never leaving his face, he dumped the crippled toothbrush on the floor, giving it only a moments more glance, he jumped to the streets, his shoulders hunched, and his eyes closed, and walked away. Iruka was left to stand behind, he said nothing, as he watched in pity, as the young boy navigated through the streets like a lonely spirit, his feet dragging behind, the one so full of life, seemed to always be subdued by the ignorant villagers surrounding, glaring with abhor and malice, with resentment too irrational for his understanding. Iruka paused a moments more to watch him, to take time to pray for him, but as much as he tried, he couldn't believe it would make a difference, only Naruto could do that.

No mother, no father, no love, just a person who took pity on him, and another who found satisfaction in his company. Why was he so cursed? Why was he hated? Why was the only one in the world that just couldn't understand hate? He had felt anger, was that hate? When he started scrubbing the Yondaime's statue, he wanted to make it as clean as possible, to make sure it stood out among the others, the most prominent, and respected one in the village. Though the answer to his sudden change in personality did not arrive, tranquillity seemed to move through him, helping his mind find some stillness. A great contrast in his normal raging one, and though it looked like he was going to a lot of trouble, he was having fun. As he scrubbed with all of his strength, he used up all of his energy, but didn't feel a thing. Then the anger came, as if from no where, his mind began screaming out to him, a gruesome voice filled with malice and arrogance ordered him to despise the stone carving, to find destruction in every groove and curve, and to want to destroy it, but that's not what changed him. It was the voice that kept saying he did this to you, he dropped you here… in this life.

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Yuri poured the creamy batter into the baking pan, her eyes following the mixture as it swirled over itself, layering with a spiral similar to the one Naruto always had on his clothing. She sighed deeply, was the choice she was making right? Normally she would run all of her ideas by Kakashi, but feeling that she was Naruto's primary guardian, and good friend, she deemed the idea plausible, and necessary. She had always had a level head and was indeed a smart and tactical young woman, figuring out the problem at hand would be a piece of cake, only then did she stopped worrying neurotically. Her mind ran over a sequence of events that would lead to the unveiling, she composed it all perfectly in her mind, and if it all went off without a hitch, she would be able to tell him.

She glanced at the clock, Kakashi would be there in five minutes, you may have observed that Kakashi is not a punctual man, so the trio had come to a decision, he could be late if he said he'd be fifteen minutes early. An odd idea yes, but Kakashi kept his obligation to Obito, and Naruto and Yuri kept their sanity, so all in all it was a pretty workable idea. She bent down to the oven, whilst balancing the tin in one hand, she opened the door and slipped it in quickly before her body fell to the floor, except, she had miscalculated, the minute she had ridden herself, she was thrown off balance and went hurtling towards the floor.

"Gotcha!"

Swiveling her body round, he pushed her gently into the chair whilst kicking the oven door closed, then sat down opposite her, and pulled out a little orange book, an invisible smirk curling up.

"You're early," she blew a strand of purple hair out of her eyes, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing in particular," he replied blandly.

Silence consumed the room, and Yuri was left only to stare at the Jounin, or, more specifically, his little orange book. Yuri and he had never had real conversations, who in the world could with Kakashi? But a certain peace did come from the few they had, but Yuri had never ever pried into his lifestyle. Yuri knew Kakashi the most, that is, as much as a person could ever know Kakashi, she knew his small dislikes and likes, favourite foods, about Sakumo, his father, and she knew the most prominent event in his life, the one that changed him, Obito's death. In truth, she considered him her best friend, and she assumed the same for him. Yet, she knew nothing about his personality, what went on in his grey little bushy head, or his mask and that little annoying orange book he was always carrying, but she never asked him, now matter how much it annoyed her, she refused to ask him, she knew not to aggravate a Jounin. Today though, a nagging little voice in her head kept telling her, that she should ask him, she should put an end to all of her curiosity, she should be daring for once, and not her boring self. So she did.

"Kakashi-kun," she asked sweetly…_too_ sweetly. Kakashi cocked an eyebrow in her direction, and lifted his head just slightly to show he was listening, a wary expression in his eye, "could I ask you a question?"

"Hai," he replied calmly, he leaned back, not once taking his eyes off the orange book, and purposely annoying Yuri.

"What's in that book?" Kakashi looked at her; it wasn't a glance, a look, a flicker of surprise in his grey eye. He had waited for this day so long, so very long, he had wondered how long it would take for her to pluck up the courage and ask him, he was going to enjoy this, he smirked widely.

"How old are you Yuri?" he hummed.

She frowned, "I am a year and a half older than you. Sigh, twenty-seven and a half."

"Ah, and you don't know what's in this particular book," she shook her head, and his invisible smirk grew wider. He put the book on the table, and with a single finger he slid it over into her lap, (whoosh), he leaned forward and rested his head in folded hands.

"See for yourself…"

She picked up the book and placed it open on the table, the other watching her intensely. She leaned over it and began to read the first chapter, it began simply enough, and it seemed to be a calm normal book, her expression interpreted interested, but not shocked.

Kakashi watched closely as she turned the pages, an amused grin hidden underneath his mask, as said before, he had awaited the day she asked him about his 'interesting' little orange book, so today was like Christmas had come early. He enjoyed watching people's faces twist as they read the perverted book, and then either faint from, loss of hydration, or messing up their head too badly to think rationality, he especially loved watching women's reactions, and he wondered what to Yuri so long. He counted slowly; he had exposed icha icha paradise on so many women, that he knew exactly when they reached the more… explicit things, only a few seconds more. He leaned in just a little bit so he could get the full experience.

'Ten, nine,' her expression contorted slightly in confusion, 'six, five, four, three, two-'

"Yuri-Chan!"

"Konbanwa Naru-Chan," Yuri closed the book shut and passed it back to the Kakashi, "I'll read it later."

Kakashi cursed under his breath, 'Damn Naruto, only two seconds away.' He calmed himself immediately though, he didn't want to taint his calm, cool attitude; he would get her later, when there was no one in the house, and only the book to keep her company. He laughed manically in his head.

"Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu, Naru-chan," Yuri replied. He could read Yuri like an open book, and he knew that she was nervous, the kind of nervousness she only got when she was keeping something from him, and he had an idea of what that something was..

"Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu, Naruto," Kakashi was speaking to Naruto, but his gaze was fixed on Yuri, waiting for any giveaway to indicate her plan, but a second after he realised how alien his voice sounded to him, cold and desolate.

"How are you?" Kakashi said with a chipper tune, he hated the voice he had just put on.

"Good. Neh neh," Naruto shouted, "Do you have my present?"

"No."

…Naruto's eyes narrowed devilishly, "Its my birthday and you promised."

The two men stared at each other for a long, not blinking, just staring, until Kakashi finally gave up. He reached into his pocket, pulled out an oddly shaped kunai, and dangled it from his forefinger. It was longer than the average kunai, and had a special kanji engraving on it.

"From me," he plainly said, "to you."

"What is it?" Kakashi gave him an odd look, "I mean I know it's a kunai, but its not an ordinary one. What is it?"

"Oh well," Kakashi rubbed his neck nervously, "whenever you throw it…you'll never miss."

"Sugoi," he exclaimed loudly. He lifted the kunai into the sunlight, and wracked his brain, he had never seen this particular brand of kunai in the stores, and he began to wonder. Then it hit him, his wide grin had reverted to a frown in less than a second, "how did you buy this?"

"I didn't, my sensei gave it to me when I turned Jounin," Kakashi replied rubbing his neck harder, "It was a gift for the promotion."

The frown deepened, Naruto thought for a moment and slipped the kunai back on Kakashi's hand, who in turn looked back at him in dismay, his face twisted in confusion, "It's yours Naruto."

"If your sensei gave it to you when you turned Jounin, then you should give it to me when I turn Jounin. It only seems fair," Naruto thought wisely. It was true, in Fire Country, a tradition was always a tradition, and by far it was sacred. Naruto respected that greatly, so knowing that this specific hand-me-down was probably very special, he honoured it, and wanted to wait until he too became Jounin, knowing that then, he would have earned it.

"But then I have nothing to give you," Kakashi said, still in awe of Naruto's maturity. The birthday boy thought for a moment, and came up with absolutely zilch, so Kakashi, with his very clever and enigmatic mind ('specially with the porn) came up with one, "How about I give this to you when you graduate from Gennin?"

Naruto's eyes lit up, "Cool, I mean that would kind of be a loophole wouldn't it? Seeing as it is a promotion from academy student to ninja… big step," he said all this knowing that the academy exams were a piece of cake (Shit) and he could pass it easily.

Kakashi slipped the kunai away, quite happy that the boy had shown some sense, some heritage.

Yuri cleared her throat and brought all attention upon herself, "Erm, doesn't anyone think what to know what I have to say on all of this."

"Um," Naruto said, "will that 'say' perhaps, be based around me not getting the weapon?"

"Maybe."

"Then no," the younger two said simultaneously.

"Well, I see how loved I am here," she snuffled a bit, "Well no birthday cake for you."

"But it's my birthday Yuri-chan."

"So," she snapped back, fake sobbing, "If you have no respect for me why should I even let you have a birthday party."

"Because the cake is now cooked and I have it in my hand ready to eat," Kakashi said, and as he had said, he had the cake ready in his hand to eat, placing it on the table in front of Naruto.

"Wha?"

"Stop being such a Baka Yuri-chan and come and join us," Naruto said, flashing a toothy grin.

Maybe it was the smile that did it, the thing that reminded her most of her friend, and her teacher, drowning her heart in a pit of remorse, or maybe it was just because, she felt so guilty for keeping an important detail from the most important person in her life, and before she could stop herself, she blurted it out,

"Your mother's not dead!"

Clang, the knife fell to the ground, the sound echoing in all of their ears.

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The wind blew his golden hair softly, pushing it up from his brow. His heart was surprisingly steady as it pulsated, and his mind too, was an abyss of all thought, nothing comprehendible, and all quite clear at the same time. In fact, it was quite peaceful to be sitting on the Hokage monuments, the cool breeze creeping up skin, especially after finding out about the truth; he sat comfortably on the latest statue, of the Yondaime. The likeliness always seemed quite uncanny, the blonde hair, the blue eyes, even the nose was very similar, his hairstyle differed, but he was sure he would grow into it someday, and also the streaked cheeks. He pressed his hand against his face, stroking his skin, he wondered if it was just like his mother's. She was supposed to have just graduated from Chuunin to Jounin recently, Yuri said she had no bloodline, but she was particularly good in genjustu and stealth, she was thirty-three years old. Moments after Yuri's announcement, questions popped into his head, Yuri and Kakashi answering all of what they could. He now knew who is father was, and how he had died young, saving the village, and his mother, who had lost all hope, and developed a hate for him.

He didn't quite understand why his mother did though, what had he done wrong? He hadn't killed his father, it was the last thing he would ever want to do, but she had gone as far to change her name and his so she had no relation to the Kazama name.

His eyes fluttered unwillingly, and sleep invaded his mind, he felt the world dissolve around him as he fell back into the Yondaime's, his father's immortal image, his pain silencing somewhat. His mother was alive, his father _was _the most powerful, most remarkable man on the earth, he had two loving friends who were willing to take care of him…nevertheless he still felt broken.

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DREAM

_Her eyes were dark and empty as she leant over him and lifted him slightly, a silent tune falling from what would be her lips. He sat up, his back hunched, and his expression filled with sorrow, tears streaking down his face. She reached out and stroked his cheeks softly, he leaned into her touch. Her body seemed like a silhouette, but as she continued to sing silently, her features firmed an she was no longer nothing, but a real woman, with brown hair and pale skin, all of the marks defined, and soon, the colour of blood bled into her large eyes. The colours of her skin contrasting greatly with everything about her, she was like a living corpse. He raised his head and watched as she began to speak._

_My hand will hold your crying face,_

_And soothe the lasting pain,_

_I have your answer here with me, _

_So listen, so you can gain,_

_One who bore a painful load,_

_For nine months so insane,_

_So assume she did, this expecting joy,_

_Except he died, the lover, of this dame, _

_Thus another travesty, one nonetheless,_

_Of God's clever ploy, so smart and full of zest,_

_One to insure the goodness of her soul,_

_And guide her off a path so foul,_

_But such an outcome was far from grace,_

_That a human being abandoned her child,_

_And worse of all, her faith._

_Now you have been cast off,_

_And left to rue the day you were born,_

_Because she left you all alone,_

_To fight and fend, on your own._

_Yet I stand here holding your weeping face,_

_For reasons not yet explained,_

_So I shall tell you,_

_It is not because I love you,_

_Not because I want you,_

_But as I clutch your face,_

_I can look into your eyes,_

_I can feel my own despise,_

_Building up inside of me,_

_And tearing up your burning flesh,_

_And so I finally tell you,_

_I hate you,_

_And wish you would no longer be._

END OF DREAM

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"Why didn't you tell me?" Kakashi fumed as he brought the sleeping boy back into the house.

"I didn't think you'd approve," Yuri whispered heatedly as she followed him.

Kakashi rested Naruto on the bed, "Well you were right about one thing."

Yuri kneeled down beside the bed and kissed the him on the forehead, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kakashi grabbed her arm and pulled her roughly out into the corridor, "I mean, that you were wrong to tell him about _her_."

She yanked away from him, "Well, would you have preferred he found out from a stranger?"

Kakashi's anger was rising, "And who exactly would do that."

"I don't know," she seethed, "but don't you think he has a right to know, I mean, if you hadn't noticed, he's the Yondaime's son. People are bound to know, I wasn't the only one attending."

"Keep your voice down, he's sleeping, and yes he does have a right to know, but giving him the news on his birthday doesn't seem very nice. You could have consulted me before doing all of this, he probably feels so alone now, even with us around, he just found out that his mother hates him, and he doesn't even know how or why. Honestly you could have waited, broken it to him at an easier time, you were being inconsiderate and stupid. Not nice at all."

She opened her mouth and attempted to rebut, but Kakashi was right, there was no denying that, she had lost, she was wrong. She glanced at the sleeping boy in the room, her heart pounding fiercely in her chest, she should have used more tact, and she should have sat him down and had an adult conversation. The idea of having to tell him slowly frightened her; she didn't want to have to draw it out, making it awkward. Nevertheless, Kakashi wasn't helping her feel any better, so pulling out what she could, she began her (not so much) rebuttal, "You_, You_ are talking to _me_ about _nice_. Who's the person that tried making me read porn, you pervert."

Well, if she said she never saw a single expression on Kakashi's face, she was wrong, for on his face, was a blatant, unadulterated, shocked expression, his mask stretching as his jaw dropped, "You, you knew about that, but you didn't react, I thought you didn't get to it, I mean-"

"I have five older brothers, and twenty male cousins, of course I'd be immune to the affects of porn by now. Are you an imbecile?"

"B-but I was counting," he stammered, "You still had two seconds left to reach the _bit_."

"I'm a medic Kakashi, we're trained to read things faster than regular people, or even shinobis, like charts, if someone's dying and we need to check things. I was already two pages passed the porn and into the hardcore stuff."

"So you're a?"

"No you pervert, I wanted to get inside of that chicken's behind, you call a head," she snapped angrily, "and if your ego's wounded or anything, go and cry to your stupid book."

And she stomped off, raged by Kakashi's personality. When she was about to swing her room door open, and slam it back in a fit of fury, Kakashi grabbed her shoulder and stopped her, causing her irritation to rise rapidly.

"What!"

He inhaled deeply, "I'm sorry-about what I said about you being- cruel, and-about the whole porn thing," the apology sounded as if he was forcing it out of his gut, regurgitating in a way.

She twisted around and broke the link between them, "We'll talk tomorrow," she said hastily, "Naruto's exams are on and he won't be home until later, swing round after the missions, my shift ends early," then she walked back into her bedroom and closed the door.

He sighed and looked back at Naruto's door, it was closed too, and it made him feel empty, doors were closing on him everywhere these days.

"If you were in my place Obito, what would you do? It seems like all of them are going away," he said to the ceiling, his voice filled with pain, he shook his head an decided he would go and talk to Obito at the memorial stone, so with one last look at Yuri's door, he jumped out of the window and into the night.

Yuri rubbed the tears from her eyes, had she really made him feel like that, so bad that he would compare himself to their dead friend; the troubling thoughts caused her to stay awake for the remainder of the night. She would never admit it to herself, but she truly did think she failed as a guardian… Kakashi was right, and she was stupid.

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He squirmed under the bed sheets, perspiration dripping from his skin and sticking him to his clothes. His nightmares had troubled him all throughout the relentless night, not once allowing him peace of mind. Red eyes haunted him, and claws scratched at him, teeth bit into his skin, and hands enveloped him in complete and utter darkness, and there was that woman who continued to sing the morbid poem.

The alarm at his side rang, and he shot up from his turbulent sleep, his forehead drenched with sweat, the substance causing not only his clothes, but his blanket too, to attach itself. He turned and looked into the mirror, he had never looked so afraid and red in his life, his eyes were bloodshot, his brow was creased, and his eyebrows were so disorientated, that he looked crazy. He turned his mirror away from him so he wouldn't have to look at himself, the person whose own mother rejected him. He dropped his head in his hands and chucked the quilt off of him with his feet.

"Naru-chan," a sweet voice rang out from the corridor.

"Hai," he replied groggily, picking his face up. The door creaked open and in popped Yuri, holding a tray with a bowl of ramen, a slice of cake alongside it, and some milk too, "I made you your favourite," she sand sitting on his bedside, "You get ready now, you have exams to go to, and I, the dreaded hospital…"

She got up and began clearing up the room, a simple distraction from him; she also spoke to him loquaciously, using it as a further diversion. Naruto didn't say a word as she babbled, knowing that she was trying to hide her guilt and make up for the previous night, and for some reason, he thought she deserved to feel that way, and so he sat quietly prodding his ramen with the fork, not eating it. Yuri turned around and looked at him, a piteous look lying unsuitably on her face, she sat down beside him and began to forcefully spoon feed him.

"Sumimasen Naru-chan," she whispered unsteadily, "I know how you must feel, finding out about your mother, but if its any consolation, your father loved you very much, he didn't want to leave you, in fact, he wanted you to be loved and cared for, for the rest of your life. Hun, I know you're sad now, but in years to come, you'll forget about it, and file it away in your mind, and just because your mother didn't want you, doesn't mean we don't, we love you with all out heart."

Naruto looked up at her, scrutinising her words in his mind, doubting her, she wasn't trustworthy anymore. How could they love him? Yuri was right, he did think that way, he suspected they only pitied him, and didn't love him, no one did, probably not even the great Yondaime Hokage, the one that cared and loved everyone.

Yuri gave up trying to console him, and decided that he would come round on his own time, she picked up another fork full of ramen and attempted to put it in his mouth, he closed it tightly shut.

"Open wide," she said.

He lifted the tray off his lap and walked into the bathroom, brushing passed her coldly. She sat on the bed, her eyes wide open; the ramen slipped onto her dress, but the pain inside was far greater.

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'I wonder what she looks like,' Naruto thought as he walked to the academy, his shoulders hunched, 'I wonder if she has blue eyes too, or blonde hair. Or maybe she looks like the person in my dream, red eyes,' Naruto struggled to think of anything else throughout his whole journey, only his mother, he refused to call her mum, the anger was starting to sink in.

When he reached the school, he realised he had dawdled and was an hour late, therefore missing half of his written exams, he walked up to Iruka's desk, and picked up a piece up a test sheet.

"Naruto," Iruka hissed, "You're late do you know what that-"

Naruto shot him a deadly glare, silencing the teacher at once, then sat down at his desk, his face gloomy, as attempted the questions on the sheet. His mind on the other hand kept wandering to other, more concerning things. He asked the same question over and over again, why did she hate him so much? Why did she leave her only relative, her son? So instead of writing down answers to the exam, he sat wondering, what had happened, trying to figure the anomaly out, he answered some questions, but not nearly enough to reach what he wanted.

"Pens down," Iruka said, "I'll collect you papers now, you are still in exam conditions, talking is not permitted."

He moved across the rows picking each one up, when he had reached Naruto, he looked at the paper, then at the boy, the whole of the first page was blank, and the back page. The student with the most potential had failed the written test. Iruka sighed; maybe he'd make up for it in Taijutsu.

Once all of the papers were collected, Iruka moved to front of the class again, with Mizuki by his side.

"Now," Mizuki said, "Line up in single file, alphabetical order, and we'll all go to the training grounds for the Taijutsu exam."

All of the students in the class lined up by the door, Iruka at the front, Uzumaki Naruto at the end, Uchiha Sasuke just in front of him. Naruto heard the taller snort.

"What?" Naruto snapped.

"Nothing," the dark haired retorted.

Both of them kept quiet after the small exchanging of words. They reached the training grounds, and Iruka went in the middle of the arena, Mizuki went to one of the corners.

"Now," Iruka shouted, "I will call you up one by one, in order, and you will present your offensive skills, using Mizuki as a dummy to say the least," he stifled a laugh, "who will be mostly on defensive, and will test your abilities. He will be the primary judge on how you execute your moves, and I will be secondary. Then we will test your defence against me, who will be the attacker. Everyone understand?"

"Hai," the class shouted simultaneously.

"Then we'll begin," Mizuki shouted, "Akimichi Choji."

A large fat boy, with brownish spiky hair, and strange face marks walked into the arena, he was munching on a doughnut. He huffed and puffed until he was a couple of metres away from Mizuki.

"When I say begin you start?" Iruka shouted, "Ready?"

"Hai," Choji said lazily.

"Begin!"

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Naruto observed the others in the class, they all seemed so carefree, untroubled, and happy, and he would have given anything to be like them. He looked at the Uchiha next to him, his long forgotten rival. Ever since Naruto was a child he had always fought for acknowledgement, but the Uchiha always denied him, but now Naruto was a bit older, a little smarter, and more aware of the world around him, he had a different goal now, he knew of reality, and it wasn't pretty. Sasuke glanced at him, for a moment he saw him smirk, then it hit him, who was he sitting in front of in the test, Sasuke, Naruto slapped himself inwardly, Sasuke must have seen his test, and realised he was preoccupied and done badly.

"Shit!" Naruto cursed under his breath, he didn't want Sasuke thinking he was weak. He ignored Sasuke, and turned his attention to the girl hunched up by the tree, Hyuuga Hinata, she always struck him as clumsy, and bashful, he knew she had a crush on him, though he personally couldn't return those feelings, he felt obliged to her for some reason. She didn't see him as an orphan, as an outcast, but she like him for who he was, and she definitely didn't take pity on him, he walked over to her, a strained smile spread across his face.

"Konnichiwa," he waved his hand at her and stood beside her on the tree. He turned his head and noticed the red hue stretch across her cheeks; she hid her face with her hair and ducked down away from his gaze.

"K-konnichiwa…Naruto-kun," she stuttered self-consciously.

"How are you today?" he said, endeavouring to distract his mind from his mother, he acted cheerful. He leaned back and put his arms behind his neck.

"F-fine, th-thank you Naruto-kun," she lifted her head up slightly, "Y-you?"

The shadows over his eyes grew faintly more, but he collected himself again and replied, he wasn't good, but she didn't need to know about it, "Great! I mean, I'll be Gennin soon, a real ninja, the best even. Then I'll become Chuunin, and then from there a Jounin, might even try out for ANBU, captain even, my friend's captain. After that I'll travel a bit, learn more jutsus, and then come back to Konoha and become Hokage, the best ever one too, even better than… than the Y-Yondaime ," he replied volubly, tensing when the subject of his father came up.

Hinata giggled, and blushed, "that sounds like you."

"Hmm," he sighed, he turned his full attention to Hinata, "What do you want to be?" His eyes soft and unchanging as he probed. She coloured almost immediately, and hid her face again.

"I'm going to have to be the clan leader," she replied, a distinct hint of misery in her voice.

Naruto nodded his head, he knew all about their bloodline, and also about the curse seal on the branch families. "That'll be great. I mean, then you'll report to me, and I can change a couple of things, help you out a bit… if you approved… and when I become Hokage of course," he smiled gently, and watched amusedly as she coloured.

"H-Hai," she replied beaming, her eyes wide in awe, when was the last time he and she had ever held a conversation before, probably never, she never had the gusto for something like that. She truly admired and cared about him.

"But is that what you really want," he said soberly, his features hardening; she looked at him with a puzzled expression, "to be the clan leader, don't you want to be something else, something more? Not having to be tied down by the bounds of the clan, not having to agree to cruel and unjust decisions, and not being forced into something you don't want to do, like putting that seal on your sister."

Hinata's eyes looked as if they would pop out of their sockets as she gazed into his strong blue eyes, she had never been confronted before, not like this, she had never been asked what she, Hyuuga Hinata, daughter and heir of the Hyuuga clan, wanted. She gulped down hard, biting her lips before turning her face away. Remembering her little sister brought back hard memories, yes Hanabi had excelled far more than Hinata did when she was that age, and it was true that their father favoured Hanabi, but subjecting her own sister, to the seal… was another thing she didn't have the gusto for.

"I-I d-don't kn-know," she replied, her answer truthful.

"That so?" he chuckled, "well when you find out come and tell me. Kay?" He gave one last smile, and sat up and walked back to where he was previously standing, leaving the dark haired girl to sit and think over everything that had just happened. His mind-boggling questions had left her utterly dumbfounded.

Naruto hid his smile with the palm of his hand, he felt a bit happier after talking to Hinata, she seemed to listen more than anyone else did, at least with a pure motive. He cocked his head and looked at her once more, she looked away immediately, hiding her colouring face with her soft purple bangs, his smile widened, and he turned his attention to his right. Sasuke was standing there, his lip twitching angrily, Naruto knew the Uchiha was impatient and had to wait for fifteen other people to do their exams, Naruto too was feeling quite restless, but hid it with a smile, deceiving his opponent, like good Shinobis should do.

"Sasuke-kun," Naruto's eyes darted to the sickly sweet voice coming from behind Sasuke, the cerise nearly blinding him into oblivion, he collected himself quickly, and refrained from laughing out loud at Sasuke, whose twitch was growing more hazardous by the second.

"Go away," Sasuke said his voice stone cold. Sakura looked at him forlornly, a longing puppy dog look in her eyes, a drip of drool fell from her lips, that is until a blonde headed bitch pushed her out of the way and grabbed Sasuke round the neck, holding him in a hug/headlock.

"You like me better Sasuke-kun, right?" her big blue eyes looked pleadingly back at him, he just rolled his eyes back, and directed his gaze back at Mizuki, ignoring the idiot on his shoulder.

Naruto couldn't hold on much longer, his will was slipping, one more thing…just one more thing and he would burst out laughing, the thought concerning his mother seemed like a distant memory, Yuri was right. All he needed was some routine, and he would forget all about it.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura shouted, tears threatening her green froglike eyes, "Do you like Ino pig."

"Shut up forehead girl of course he does, I'm going to bear his children."

And that was it; Naruto just couldn't help it "BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…" Naruto trailed on clutching his stomach, and keeling over in pure hysteria, "Oh-Hahahaha-I-love that…Hahahaha," he screamed in the gaps.

Sasuke eyed Naruto angrily, before throwing the blonde over his shoulder in a flip, and knocking her into Sakura, they both landed in an awkward position, their eyes rolling around in their sockets.

"For your information," Sasuke spat gruffly at them, "I detest you both."

Then waltzed off and brooded under a dark tree. Sakura walked up to Naruto and attempted to hit him on the head, he caught her hand twisted it around and pinned her on the wall behind him; his eyes though, watched the match.

"Ahaha," she whimpered, "let go."

Naruto complied and leaned on the railing. She moved towards him, ready to punch the daylights out of him again.

"I think your precious boyfriends gay, you better watch out," Naruto's lips curled into a devious smirk when he felt the whooshing sound the fist make stop, "I think he fancies Mizuki, you see how he's always watching him."

The colour in Sakura's face drained, "Wh-what?"

"You know homosexual, probably bisexual though, I hear he wants to reproduce, I mean…he'd never use you, I mean, maybe his gay side, you know the flat chest and manly legs, but not his straight side. However, the girl he did choose would be just a sexual toy, one he would use every night for his goal, trying to reproduce, he'd try as hard as he could."

Sakura's mouth began to water, ignoring his "you look like a man" comment, hoping that the sexual toy would be her, but then Naruto added something horrible, "but then again, Ino would probably be the girl of his choice."

Sakura shrieked loudly, her eyes blood red; she stormed off and started to argue with Ino, who was at that moment standing beside Sasuke trying to get him to forgive her. Naruto tuned out for a while, just watching Mizuki's moves, finding the weak points and such, that is, until a certain word was picked up by his ears.

"Gay?"

"Yeah gay!"

"I'm not gay."

"Bisexual then."

"What the fuck I'm not bisexual."

"You want to be with Ino, use her for sexual pleasure and-and reproduction?"

"HELL NO!"

"HELL YES!"

Naruto smirked widely, the amusement was so overwhelming that he had to sit down, finding the simple solution; he walked back over to Hinata, sat down again and closed his eyes. Hinata watched him carefully, her eyes never wavering from his face; she looked up at the bickering trio, and had a small hunch that it was something to do with Naruto. Plucking up all of her courage, she turned to ask him.

"N-Naruto-kun-" she stammered, he waved his hand and groaned.

"You're older than me Hinata, leave the honorific out."

"O-okay, N-N-Naruto," she breathed in deeply, "why a-are th-they fighting."

Naruto opened one eyelid at her, close it and opened the other to see Sasuke, Sakura, and Ino, all arguing about who would be his bitch, well Sakura and Ino were anyway. Naruto grinned.

"Sasuke's bi."

"O-oh," she sighed, and then it hit her, "_Oh, ewww!_"

"Hehe."

"Erm," Hinata blushed darkly and hid her eyes, "a-are you bi?"

"NANI! No, I'm not gay," Naruto cursed loudly afterwards, "course not."

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Uzumaki Naruto," Iruka called.

Naruto walked lazily up to the middle of the stage, there was a great distance between the two fighters.

"Ready?"

"Un."

"Begin!"

Naruto sauntered closer to Mizuki, a seemingly robotic reaction, after a long chat with Hinata, where she told him about her father, his mind had reverted back to its previous state. Naruto stood motionless in front of his opponent, wearing an impassive mask, he shoved his hands into his pockets, during the written test he couldn't care less, what was so different about this one.

Mizuki watched the insolent demon ignore, his anger boiling, was this supposed to be a trick, or was the child trying to demean him, either way, Mizuki wasn't going to sit and take it all, he was just about to taunt the child but Naruto beat him to it.

"Iruka-sensei," Iruka looked up at Naruto, "Do I really have to fight him, I mean, wouldn't it be too easy."

Mizuki's anger rose to great heights; enough to drive him to attack. Mizuki, screaming a battle cry of rage, threw three kunai and nine shuriken all at once. Naruto, looked up and acknowledged his opponent, then without even batting an eyelid, caught the kunai, slipping the three circular handles on three of his fingers. He then proceeded to knock the shuriken away with his gained weapons. He looked up and smirked at Mizuki, before slipping only two of the three kunai into his holster, hiding the last in the palm of his hand, then he shoved his hands in his pockets, enraging the senseless Chuunin more.

All of a sudden Mizuki disappeared from all of the academy student's eyes, but one, as he sprinted at high speeds. He circled his laidback opponent, who stilled showed no sign of fear or apprehension, then moved in for a high kick. As soon as he reappeared, trying to jab his leg into Naruto's neck, the child lifted up his left arm and grabbed the leg, and before the Chuunin could react, Naruto had already embedded the kunai into a vital tendon in Mizuki's leg. Blood spilled down over Naruto's arm as the wounded yelled out in pain. Trying to ignore it (for he had never drawn as much blood before) he swiftly reversed his grip with his left hand and threw Mizuki into the academy building, destroying a wall in the process.

As Mizuki stumbled out of the room and over the rubble, Naruto caught a glimpse of the teacher in the room. It was a woman, who in his opinion, was very breathtaking, that is, until he saw her eyes. Her face showed only shock as she stared at Mizuki making some further hand seals, and then turned her head to look at Naruto, both of their eyes met, and all of the colour bled from her face leaving only the red of her eyes.

"Arashi," she whispered desperately.

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FLASHBACK

_Naruto remembered as her red eyes stared at him with malice and abhorrence, her long black hair everywhere as she stared down on him. He remembered some of the words that she had said:_

_I hate you,_

_And wish you would no longer be._

_Naruto remembered her hair billow behind her as she stalked off, forever gone from his life. _

END OF DREAM

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"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

Naruto's eyes widened for the first time in the battle, and he was snapped from his memories, as a colossal fireball tore across the field from the lake, heading straight for him. His mind reacted automatically, and he formed some defensive hand-seals, knowing that the ball was edging closer to him, and the other Gennins he threw a look over his shoulder and made sure they were all clear; they were okay, Iruka had gotten them to safety.

"Fuuton: Daitoppa!" Naruto shouted.

A powerful explosion of wind, went hurtling towards the impending fireball, blowing it back towards its origin, compelling Mizuki to jump into the air to avoid it. The ball of fire submerged into the water, and went out very slowly. Naruto made another hand seal, like a cross in front of his chest, nine clones appeared beside him. Mizuki's mouth opened agape, 'Kage no Bunshin. Impossible, who taught him that.' Naruto took no notice of anything, instead, he charged into Mizuki pulling of more speed than even the Chuunin had, six of his clones followed two metres behind, he rammed his foot into his opponents chest, kicking him up into the air, then Naruto jumped on to the roof. The six followed Naruto's example, and kicked the living corpse higher, and the last three did the same, until Mizuki was flying high up in the air. Then the original made his move. He jumped towards Mizuki, tucking his head in and doing a forward roll in the air, he uncoiled his body, and as Naruto did, his foot connected solidly with Mizuki's neck, causing him to plummet into the ground, turning it to rubble as a large crater formed. Naruto landed elegantly on his two feet by Mizuki.

Mizuki struggled getting up, his leg supporting his arm as he pulled himself out of the hole, blood stained all of his clothes, and there was a large gash on his head where Naruto had kicked him. He limped out, but his body gave way, he fell on the floor, and unfortunately, his arms were now too weak, and they snapped beneath the weight. He lifted his head to look at Naruto, whose eyes held no remorse or not pity.

"Kuso," Mizuki laughed madly, "Kuso, kuso, kuso."

Naruto cocked his eyebrow and looked at him quizzically.

"I should have known I couldn't live after fighting you," his voice was coarse and malicious, "how many people have you killed? You killed hundreds of shinobi thirteen years ago. So I was just a piece of cake."

Naruto's eyes widened and he staggered backwards, "What are you talking about?" he recollected himself, his voice steadier than his actions.

"Oh didn't your precious friends tell you? I guess not," the mad man chuckled sinisterly, "I well I guess I should. You're a demon, You're the Kyuubi, it was sealed inside of you by the person you call a hero."

Naruto's eyes widened in realisation, and his face turned as pale as a ghost.

"By the Yondaime. He died saving the village. That's why everyone hates you. I hate you, I wish you would no longer be."

_I hate you,_

_I wish you would no longer be_

The words shocked him into rage, with immense speed, he appeared behind the corpse, his morality had drained from him, only the words of his mother echoed in his ears.

"Owari," he said icily, his hands posed some seals "Kaze no Yaiba."

Before Naruto had time to strike down with his blade of wind on the terrified Chuunin, who knew his death was near, someone grabbed Mizuki with far greater speed than even Naruto, and tossed him into the crater. Naruto's blade cut through the ground. He looked up, his red face drenched with sweat, his teeth gritted, his eyes filled with malice, as they looked up at the lazy grey haired Jounin, who didn't look lazy at all, but slightly worried.

"Naruto!" he said sharply grabbing his arm, "What are you doing?"

"Why didn't you tell me when I asked you?" Naruto replied furiously, arms shaking

"About what?" Kakashi feared the answer.

"About what I am!" Kakashi's eye widened as he felt something way down his shoulder.

"Come on Naruto I'll-" Kakashi's eye snapped on the black haired figure shaking twenty metres behind Naruto, her red eyes open in shock, he disregarded her completely, knowing he had fucked up badly "I'll take you home."

"Iruka," the grey haired one said, "I trust you'll take him to the police. Put him up for interrogation."

Iruka nodded in response, his mind not even close to processing what happened. Hinata looked up from her crouched position, her eyes beyond scared. Sasuke shook with anger. Sakura and Ino had fainted long ago. Hinata stood up, and ran as fast as she could, passed all of the other students and Iruka.

"Naruto-k-, Naruto!" she shouted. Naruto twisted just before she collided with him, and grabbed her shoulder blades, her face fell into his shoulders. She picked her face up and looked at him, his face was contorted, confused, afraid, as if not able to pick one emotion to show, his face was a puzzle, one that neither of them could figure out. He tried to change his expression, to at least show her kindness, but tears were about to fall, and he needed to get away quickly, and Kakashi's stare was burning holes in his back.

"Naruto, are you okay?" she whispered meekly.

"I'll see you later Hinata," he twisted his mouth into a small smiled, stepped back at jumped out of site with Kakashi.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do you have any major wounds?" Yuri said as she took out her first aid kit, "or any for that matter."

"No," Naruto replied looking at the floor.

"So," Kakashi said, "you wanna talk?"

"Not particularly," Naruto picked his face up and stared at the cupboard instead, his stomach rumbled, a clear indication that he was hungry, he pursed his lips and looked back down to the floor. Yuri noticed the rumbling, ran over to the cupboards and pulled out some instant ramen, turned on the kettle, then took out a large big bowl. Meanwhile Kakashi pulled up a chair beside Naruto and pulled out the special kunai from his pocket.

"Do you know why I wanted to give this to you?" he said dangling it in Naruto's direction.

"No."

"Well let me show you," Kakashi pulled out his orange book, and from one of the pages, he took out a crumpled up picture, placed both of the items on Naruto's lap. Naruto took them both hesitantly, and when he viewed the picture, he saw his father grinning, he saw Kakashi, a little dark haired girl, and the same woman he saw in the school, her belly in the second stage of pregnancy, the Yondaime's arms draped around her.

"My sensei was Kazama Arashi, the Yondaime," Naruto's eyes snapped back to the speaker doubtfully, Kakashi shrugged, "yup, Arashi was my teacher, and that's your mother. In truth, when he gave this to me, he had no child, and he didn't think he would, he loved your mother, but she was never willing to admit she did, she was afraid of commitment, and didn't want to get married, so I decided, being the rightful heir, you should have it."

Naruto's hands traced the picture, tears welling up, he stopped when he reached the dark haired girl, "Is that Yuri-chan?"

Something stuck in Kakashi's throat, "No, Yuri has purple hair."

"Always thought it was unnatural," Naruto shrugged, "who is it?"

"Rin, she was on my team."

"Where is she now?"

"She's dead."

Naruto nodded compassionately, his voice took a turn for the worst, "Why'd she leave me?"

"I don't know, you'll have to ask her on Thursday. She's your new teacher," Kakashi gritted his teeth, and sighed as he saw Naruto's surprised expression, "I wanted to teach you, but it's not like that. Providing you pass, you'll be on her team. With Hyuuga Hinata, and Aburame Shino."

**PurePhoenixAngel: **All I have to say is review, and I wrote this time ago but I didn't want to put it up, I was angry. So I dunno if it sucks, hope it doesn't. Read, review, enjoy, and I didn't reply to some Reviews, because they were either too short, or I was fighting with Deamon Child. So Yeah! Tune in for next time. Yes I changed my name, and you shan't get anymore from the authors notes. If you have any qs, just ask in the reviews, I'll get back to you.


	3. Chapter 2

**Decaying Love**

**A Beginning****  
**

The class was eerily silent as Naruto pushed open the door, his shoulders hunched as his feet trailed behind him. Inclining his head to the floor, he murmured,

"Sumimasen, Iruka-sensei, I didn't mean to-"

Iruka put his hand up, silencing him, a frown on his face, Naruto felt something very heavy fall on his shoulders.

"There is no need to apologise." Shocked, Naruto looked up bewildered, "I can understand what you're going through, and if you ever need anyone to talk to," he hushed his voice so none of the other children could hear, "you can always come to me. Now take your place while I sort out today's lesson."

Naruto nodded his head, relieved to know that at least his teacher hadn't exiled him. The children were piteous, naïve creatures, influenced by equally stupid parents. As he looked upon the class, most fixed gazes fell frailly to the ground. He also noticed the few people who had the courage to look back. Hinata, smiling tenderly, Sasuke expressionless, and Shikamaru smirking.

Naruto walked up to the empty seat between Shikamaru and a loony girl named Nita. He rested his head on the desk and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath

"Nice show you put on at the exams, Naruto," Shikamaru drawled.

"I know," said Naruto, grinning, "Thanks."

"Anytime my friend, anytime," Shikamaru slapped his back.

Naruto dropped down on his arms and let silence bathe his mind as he drifted asleep. He nudged Shikamaru, telling him to wake him later. Later came sooner than he would have wished.

"Everybody," Iruka called loudly, "I'd like your attention, this is important."

Shikamaru harshly jabbed Naruto's neck. The blonde sat up again, wearing a scowl, which he directed at Shikamaru.

"Yesterday, as you all know, school was closed; this was because the teachers and I had decided, since Mizuki's -err, absence that you should all have a break, we also needed to add up the tests to see who graduates, and who becomes a Gennin."

The tension rose exponentially as the word "Genin," was mentioned, a slight pause accommodating it. The children's hearts beat a little faster, and their hands and legs twitched in agitation and anxiousness. Naruto on the other hand, didn't care to become a Gennin anymore, at least not when he knew what kind of life he'd have to live. Senseis stayed with their students until every single one had become at least Chuunin.

"Now that we have the results, I am glad to say that every single person has graduated," a wide grin spread across Iruka's face. There was a loud sigh of relief, and a couple of squeals of happiness too, but it was soon smothered when they all realised, it wasn't over yet. Naruto's stomach dropped; if everyone graduated, that meant that he'd probably… Naruto shook his head inwardly, hoping that there was still a chance, that after his outburst, that the council elders didn't see it fit to allow him to become a ninja and take on missions.

"There is still however, the Gennins to deal with," he pulled out a box from under the desk, and opened the lid. Everyone sighed, as the nine Hitai-ates lay proudly under the sun, the Konoha sign embedded on the metal.

"Only a handful have been promoted to Genin. The ones that have passed have been made into three-man teams, according to your strengths and weaknesses. The teams will each have someone with high-test scores, average scores, and low scores. Do you all understand?"

A wave of nods passed through the crowd of heads; some though, were white with disappointment, knowing already that they hadn't excelled past the stages of an academy student.

"The names I call out will come to the front and collect a headband and tomorrow you will come here, those who don't, will go to room '307.'"

Iruka pulled open a scroll and began reading from the list.

Naruto groaned inwardly, hoping that it would end soon, not wishing to hear his name, not wishing for the minutes to pass, and most definitely not wishing for _her _to teach him. The minutes soon did go by and the fateful moment when Iruka called his name arrived.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto marched to the front of the room where the Hitai-ates were. He lifted one up and suddenly found himself overtaken by an awkward sentiment. Pride. Pride that he had accomplished a single dream. Acknowledgment caught him in an embrace he hoped to cherish for the rest of his life, as he supposed events like these would be far too few to come by.

Now oblivious to all else but his new achievement, he walked dreamily back to his place where Shikamaru smirked at him. He was hardly aware of peculiar glances from the other students, too enthralled by his new headband, too dazed by the fact that he had begun his journey.

He wordlessly thanked his father, his, affection and admiration copious in his heart. It was his time to shine, he thought, slipping the fabric around his forehead, the cool press of the metal creasing his skin. The second the fabric was bound, so was his perseverance, it was irrevocable and no one could stand in his way. Not even Yuuhi Kurenai.

"Schools finishing early today," Naruto barely heard, "You may all leave, your parents have been informed and are waiting outside. Oh and before I forget, because of the day we missed, you will be told your teams on the day that you meet your senseis."

Naruto didn't need to know what was coming. While everyone ran outside, some more dejected than others were, he waited back, a gloom tainting his high.

"Aye Naruto," Shikamaru smirked, "You coming, Chouji said his mums cooking a celebratory dinner."

Naruto strained a smile, "Its okay, I think I'll stay round here for while, have fun."

Shikamaru's face fell a little, "You sure?"

Naruto nodded, watching his friend enviously as he left to join the others. Breathing out a sigh of exasperation, he slumped down in the doorway and stared contemplatively at the sky. Unexpectedly, his stomach lifted off and rolled pleasurably. Who cared if he didn't have parents? He was a ninja now. He was much better than he was five years ago, and nothing could be better than that. Naruto was about to get up when and head home when the door behind him slid open and in walked Yuri.

"Naru-chan," Yuri exclaimed, a large box hanging awkwardly in her hands as she struggled to walk in, "Congratulations!"

Naruto's wide-eyed, astonished demeanour prevented him from helping Yuri as she stumbled upon Iruka's desk. When it had dawned on him, he bounded to her side and unloaded the tremendous box, staring critically at Yuri.

"What are you doing here?" strain tugged his voice.

"Kakashi told me you graduated and that all the parents are coming round, so I'm here. Help me with the present and we can go to the ramen stand."

"Yuri you didn't have to do all this," he muttered bashfully.

"So you don't want your present. Oh, _fine_. I won't give it to you."

"Lead the way."

* * *

Everywhere she turned, everywhere she looked could she see him glancing back at her. Worst of all he wore the same expression. Hurt… reproach. But why, why after so many years of oppressing it was she suddenly plagued with constant reminders. Every morning she'd wake up in flash of terror, perspiration coating her body like a second skin, hair matted to her face. She couldn't live like this. His captivating eyes and grave, humourless smirk had dominated her dreams. The blonde spiky hair would run over her skin even in her sleep, instigating tremors and there would be longing too, despite the fact that she wished it would just leave her alone.

At these thoughts, her head spun slightly while, she sat erect on her bed, cleaning her kunai set. Though her hands were occupied, her eyes had hazed distantly over the room, which had turned very cold in the recent minutes. Her hands slowed in their movement, memories travelling back to when her husband still thrived. An inattentive smile graced her lips and her eyes glowed comfortably, the images contrasting greatly with the bleak atmosphere of the room.

She laid back down on the bed, hands resting on her stomach, eyes closed, body arched and long hair splayed against the cushion. For the first time in nearly ten years, she accepted their past as something that had truly existed, as something that had made her happy.

Unfortunately, these contemplations concluded when she knocked an unfurled scroll to the ground. Her body yanked rigidly, agitation displayed across her face. The smile that had graced her lips faded into a tight frown, whilst she regarded her previous emotions as a mere short-lived fantasy. He wasn't alive anymore, so why destroy herself by living in his past, when she couldn't even live out his legacy.

Moving hands robotically, she lifted the scroll to her eyes and examined it once more; there was no mistake about it.

**Yuhi Kurenai**

_As you will know, the exams determining this years Genin, has passed and their ranks submitted. You, _**Yuuhi Kurenai**_, have been chosen this year to lead a three-man team of Genins as their sensei. This is by request of the, the Sandaime. You may not withdraw from this position unless a valid reason is provided._

_Your team will need to go through an entrance test to see if they are indeed capable. It is entirely up to you what you make them do, but you must be fair, reasonable and make sure the test is applicable to their level. You are to report to room '219' in the academy on "Thursday October 14__th__"  
You will be expected there promptly at 10am._

**Team 8 A.K.A Team Kurenai:**

**Aburame Shino**

**Hyuuga Hinata**

**Uzumaki Naruto**

_Sandaime Hokage_

The paper crumpled and ripped slightly in her grip. Anger pulsated in her mind and slowly the paper ripped right through the middle. In a fit of rage, she flung the two pieces against the wall, her breath heavily spent as she did. Without thinking, completely driven by her exasperation, she slammed her head against the wall, scarlet eyes scrunched tightly as she refused to look at reality, at her reality.

Her lips had bruised after the extensive chewing, her eyes disappearing into her red face, her body worn with fatigue and everything clashed chaotically in her mind. Twelve years of ignoring her past, and suddenly some idiot decided to lay them out on a silver platter in front of her. How could she possibly handle this? Impatience made her quiver and the abyss in her heart seemed larger than ever. She reminded herself regularly that she despised him, that she hated every smile, every quirk he possessed.

It was torture, just thinking about how her life had become just because in _their _eyes she'd made a mistake. She recalled all the times Kakashi used Genjutsu in order to hide Naruto from her, failing on the most part as she was near a master of the style. Nevertheless, he posed a gratified excuse for her to ignore her son and secure her emotions without looking like immensely cruel. Truth be told, even though she'd gotten used to people such as Kakashi and Yuri hating her, she did sometimes feel a pang of remorse and self-pity. Kakashi's and her friendship had died the day she'd abandoned Naruto, and it seemed everything was getting worse.

Of course, the boy was innocent to these involuntary actions, but how could she live, knowing she was harbouring the very thing that killed the man she loved. So she ignored the emotions, which contradicted her beliefs. She disregarded the fact that _they _were the reason for him living.

Her cheeks lost their entire colour, and sweat coated her in stickiness. She couldn't handle it. She needed a walk. Grabbing her shorts, she slipped them on and slammed the door gruffly behind her.

* * *

Back in Naruto's apartment, we find him, _as _usual being absurd. Naruto bit his lip, staring at the mirror obsessively. Then he grabbed his lips and stretched them awkwardly across his face, watching interestedly as they snapped back in place. He then reached up and contorted his eyes, but shook his head disapprovingly afterwards. Suddenly, he leapt up, grabbed his hair, coiled his body around and scrunched his whole face up.

"What… are you doing?"

The blonde haired boy swerved round, unabashedly, his bloodshot eyes encountering Kakashi's grey ones.

Naruto replied very calmly, "I'm trying to think of a pose for the Genin pictures. What do you think of this?"

He deformed his lips in a slanted fashion, piqued his nose so it looked like a pigs, rolled his eyes and glared at Kakashi.

"Naruto," Kakashi shook his head, speaking in a slight monotone, "... ah, never mind."

After a moment's thought, Naruto wrinkled up his nose inquisitively, "Can we go out for some ramen, or maybe training. Yuri keeps trying to practise stitching up wounds on me…when I have no wounds."

Kakashi crinkled up his eyes in a weak smile, "Let's go."

"She tried it with you too?" Naruto smirked opening the window.

"She's claiming that she needs to inspect a previously stitched wound so she can write a report on it. She insists that my scar is a perfect example, but she needs a better look at it," he said dryly.

Naruto chuckled, then all of a sudden.

"NARU-CHAN! Come down here please, you too Kakashi," they were both out of the window in a heartbeat.

* * *

It was hot, hotter than usual in Konoha and soon enough she decided taking a walk was _not_ a good idea. Her stance was miserable even though she refused to go back in, hands shoved in her pockets broodingly, and her eyes facing the floor. The sultry air lay thick on her skin, making her breath grow shallow. She didn't notice it, but she was travelling towards the ramen stand, as if on impulse. Her childhood years had been spent there with a friend, and then as she grew older she found herself there more and more.

The moment she got there, and realised what she'd been doing, there were no childhood memories resounding in her mind, there was no sweet aroma to settle her mind. All she could see was hatred. Her eyes darkened, the organ in her chest tightening, constrictive. There he was, sitting with a big smile on his face, absolutely oblivious.

On reflex, she pivoted round and walked in the other direction. She clenched her face, forbidding the fire in her eyes to spill over. Whether or not it was from regret, or resentment, she didn't care, all she knew was that she had to get out of there before she did something she _would_ regret and resent. Her quick pace broke into a faster run, her heart and mind fighting a useless yet painful battle.

After a long time, her feet came to a stop. She opened her eyes very slowly, tears spilling through the cracks, and saw another emotional tornado. His name, engraved in stone, engraved amongst the countless deaths of Konoha, stood proudly before her. It stood and it _shouted_ at her, it resonated sharply through her mind with such loathing and revulsion that she felt her knees buckle beneath her. Punishing her because of what she'd done, what he'd asked her to make sure she didn't do. She lay on her knees for a long time, unaware of neither how hard she was sobbing nor how much her chest ached with a regret she wouldn't admit to.

She gulped down, and her scrunched up, tear-ridden face smoothed over into a poignant frown of unhappiness.

"I hate you," she muttered to the stone, rubbing her hands over her face.

Though her visit remained brief, it was emotionally nerve-wracking, filled with moments of hysteria and sadness. Admittedly, she thirsted for the past, when she wasn't filled with such hate, and with such love for the man, she was claiming to despise. When she finally departed, she found herself undecided, lingering for a little while longer to steal a look back at the stone whenever she tried to leave. Finally, after a long worn-out battle, she gave up and headed home.

* * *

Naruto bit his lip and nodded determinedly to himself. His reflection, he noted with relief, did not betray him. He looked confident enough, but not conceited. Taking one last look at his appearance, he sighed wistfully to himself and forced a grin to fortify himself more so, on his face. Despite his knowledge of the outside world's true face, his optimistic, innocent ardour allowed him to look past it with a hope some never could, nor would understand.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, but he didn't turn around, still thinking to himself as he looked at the mirror.

"Naruto," Yuri yelled as she flung his bedroom door open. Observing the floor, messed up with the load of his dirty clothes and whatever else there was, she scrunched up her nose. "What have you done to your room?"

He cocked his head back and grinned at her, rubbing his neck sheepishly. "Ah, I couldn't think of what to wear."

"You're wearing the same thing you wear every day," Yuri frowned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Naruto shrugged, "What can I say? I look good," he shot her a mischievous grin.

Yuri lifted a water bottle from the floor and chucked it at his head with surprising accuracy.

"Ouch," he said, rubbing his head, pouting slightly.

"You better clean this up," she muttered, kicking a dirty pair of draws out the way with a look of disgust on her face.

Naruto groaned miserably, "C'mon, it's my first day nee-chan!"

"Like I care," Yuri scoffed, "Just because you're ninja, doesn't mean the same rules don't apply." She chucked what looked like an old carton of milk at his head. With that, she turned round and walked out the door, shutting it behind her.

Giving a weary sigh, Naruto dropped down to his knees and began throwing his stuff in his bin. Suddenly, whilst he was bent down, the door swung open and hit him squarely on his ass. He let out a loud "ouch" before falling head first into his bin. He sniffed a bit, and yanked his head out.

"EW!" he yelled, rubbing his face vigorously.

"Oops," Yuri muttered, her shoulders shaking slightly as she tried to hold in her laughter. "I forgot to wish you good luck," she said, pursing her lips as she tried to suppress her laughter, "So good luck."

Once he'd finished cleaning, he grabbed his rucksack, stepped out and made his way to the school.

Hinata gazed up at the ceiling, pondering the basic things in life, mainly how hard it was to make the right decision. She sighed quietly, blinked to get the sleep out of her eyes and rested her head in her arms.

The room had this unnatural quietness about it, irking Hinata. She supposed it was because she was alone, and then contemplated if she'd gotten the wrong time. She felt an unfortunate mix of apprehension and gladness. Apprehensive because she didn't want to look like an idiot, and glad because she didn't think she was quite ready to meet with their new sensei. Before she could figure out what she was more inclined to, the door burst open and a rambunctious group of students poured into the room, few of them noticing her. She shrank further into the corner, silently recoiling when Shino sat beside her.

Time dragged on and there was quite a bit of chattering from all corners. Though she occasionally challenged a conversation, she only got as far as opening her mouth before she shut it again.

Everything went quiet when Iruka decided to make an appearance. He greeted them all with a reassuring smile. Hinata leaned forward in her chair, placed her head on her hands, awaiting her sensei's instructions.

"Good morning," he greeted. "Again I'd like to congratulate you on your success, but I hope you all understand the responsibility, which comes with it." He let out a thoughtful sigh. "Now…your teams…" he lifted up a scroll and began to list…

Finally, when he had finished, he sighed once more and set the scroll down, "Do you all understand?" Their teams were set, and that was final. He smiled knowingly, "So then, I'll leave you here to talk with your team-mates whilst I go find your senseis and tell them you're ready. I'll be back in about ten minutes. Good luck to you all."

For a moment, everything was still in Hinata's head. She was on Naruto's team now, and things were sure to be much more different and a lot more awkward. She blushed whenever he spoke, unable to get a handle on herself, how was she supposed to handle him being on her team—all day every day. Worry infected her, but soon she was lost in a wonder as one of the senseis walked in.

Then another…until the only two people left in the class, were Shino and Hinata. Naruto had not yet arrived.

Suddenly the door slammed open, warranting their attention. When Hinata looked up, she had half a mind to lay her head back down and cover her head with her hands. The woman, who she could only assume was their sensei, emanated an unimaginable coldness. Her red eyes were obnoxiously callous as she looked round the room. She had black, curly hair, and pale skin. Her clothes smelt slightly of sake. Colour rose just slightly in her cheeks when she looked at _two _of them.

"Where's the third member of your team?" she asked, a trace of hope in her voice.

Shino responded, "He's not here yet."

The hope died with those words, and the callousness she'd worn so well when she walked in the room returned. "I see," she said icily.

As if on cue, the door creaked open grabbing everyone's attention. Naruto walked in, a weak smile on his face, completely brushed past the dark haired woman and sat down beside Hinata.

An awkward silence fell over the room, and Hinata could only watch as the teacher and Naruto shared a look that she couldn't decipher as hard as she tried. Naruto's face remained completely impassive save for the half smile he wore and a slight glint in his eyes. Her face was pale, her eyes wider, and her lips pursed in a thin line as she looked back, coolness emanating from her form. Hinata wondered if they'd ever get on to doing anything at the rate they were going, but soon realised that her qualms didn't compare with the real reason behind the sudden drop in friendliness.

"Sorry I was late, I overslept," Naruto explained, interrupting the silence with a wider smile. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, much to the conceivable shock of the sensei.

But her face smoothed over once more and she ignored Naruto blatantly. "My name is Yuhi Kurenai, as you've been told, I'm going to be the leader, and the sensei of this group from now on," she began robotically, her eyes resting anywhere but on Naruto. "Tomorrow at 12 o'clock, meet me at the training grounds. B section… no one is to be late."

With those last words, she left the room, her shoulders stiff and her steps heavy. When she shut the door behind her, Naruto frowned angrily at the door.

"So," he said, his face brightening when he looked at his other teammates, "Wanna go get some ramen?"

Hinata was ready to go the minute he said it, but the thought of it made her blush all the same. Shino raised an eyebrow at the unruffled blonde boy, and after a thoughtful pause, said. "Who's paying?"

"Last one who gets there," Naruto replied with a cheeky grin. Before the two could realise what he'd meant, he was out the door like bullet. Upon realisation, Hinata and Shino followed.

* * *

"No _fair_," Naruto whined when he reached the ramen stand last, slumping down into a chair beside his two teammates.

"You lost, you have to pay," Shino said. Naruto couldn't see it, but he could _sense_ the smirk in his tone.

"I got sidetracked." Naruto pouted, "My sister wouldn't shut up!"

"I didn't know you had a sister Naruto," Hinata said timidly from other side.

"Yeah…she's a bit weird," he leaned over Shino, placed his hand clandestinely in front of his mouth as if he was telling a secret, "I like to pretend we're not even related sometimes. Don't mention it to anyone," he whispered.

Hinata laughed softly, her cheeks growing red as Naruto leaned back.

"She sounds nice," Hinata said politely.

"She is," Naruto shrugged. "SO! OJII-SAN!" he yelled loudly, practically knocking the other two off their stools.

A woman, in her late teens walked out from behind the ramen stand, a smile warm on her face. "Naruto-kun," she said giving him a slight frown, but she couldn't keep the smile out of her voice, "if you keep shouting like that you'll scare away all our customers.

"Gomen," Naruto grinned cheekily, "Ramen house special please," he grinned. "Their orders are on me."

"Ah, no Iruka today," she said curiously.

"No," Naruto looked promptly sullen, "I'm paying."

Ayame, which was the girl's name, smiled, shaking her head slightly before turning to the other two, "What would you two like?"

The other two made their orders and in between the wait for their ramen, Naruto chatted animatedly with both his teammates. Though Shino remained stoic and Hinata was always a bit shy when she was replying, the constant persistence and joviality of Naruto made up for all of them. Neither Hinata nor Shino could find fault in his personality. When their food arrived, Naruto was too engrossed in eating his food and despite his many efforts Shino prevented him from talking with his mouth full. Those moments were spent in silence, nevertheless a comfortable one.

Afterwards, when they'd finished and Naruto had paid up, which consisted of a lot of grumbling, the three decided to take a walk through town, during which they came across something very interesting.

"Naruto-niisan!" a voice exclaimed from behind them.

All three of them twisted round in time for Naruto to see something barrel into him. He landed on his back with loud "Oof."

"Naruto-niisan," the thing, which all three of them could now see was a little boy, grinned toothily at Naruto.

"Konohamaru," Naruto said scratching his head confusedly, "Aren't you supposed to be with your Ero-sensei."

Hinata's cheeks went from light pink to furious red at those words. But Naruto continued on without a care.

"No, Oji-chan sent me to get you. He said he had something really important to talk to you about?" Konohamaru replied with a slight grin on his face. Then in a lower voice added, "Can we go back to that shop from last time…Tehe…it was really interesting."

Naruto cracked a boyish grin, snickering. "Does he want me right now?" he said after a while.

"Yep," the kid replied, helping Naruto up.

"Sorry guys," he said sheepishly, "I had a great time, I'll see you tomorrow Neh," he grinned up at his two new…friends? He wondered for a moment if he should regard them as that, but then decided that they were cool. He flashed another smile, before grabbing Konohamaru and racing off.

* * *

**A/N: **So, I guess its been a while since I updated. It's just me, Sungirl, Phoenixangel, whatever random name I go by nowadays. I'm sorry its taken...such a long time for me to update this story, but I felt since my eighteenth is coming up, I owe it to my reviewers, who to this /day/ review, to update at least this chapter. I don't know how long it'll be till the next one comes up, so I urge anyone who wants to collaborate with me to do so, since I'm going to go off to Uni soon and then who knows what'll happen? Haha. Once again, thank you to all of those that have reviewed, I can't individually thank you because of the amount, but if I ever do get the time I will. I have to apologise for the writing style because I haven't edited to suit how I currently write. I admit that this chapter was written nearer the time the first two were published but because of...issues, I was unable to put it out there.

Also I'm sorry for the lack of epic-ness in this chapter, since after so long it really should be oozing epicness, awesomeness and all around well-thought-edness (god I'm _such _an amazing writer-three cheers for sarcasm) But hehe, at least its something right... heheh

Thank you so much once again, I'm so grateful for the amount of support you all continue to give me, if it weren't for all of you I may have given up on this for good! :) Once again, if anyone wants to collaborate please send me a message and I'll be happy to talk it over with you :)


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